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FROM   THE   LIBRARY   OF 


REV.    LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D 


BEQUEATHED    BY   HIM   TO 


THE    LIBRARY   OF 


PRINCETON   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


03 


/v 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/testimonyOOunit 


T  11  B 


T  E  S  T I M  0  N 


k 


OF    TUK 


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United  I 


fitortman  tiMtutrb 


01 


NOKTH    AME1UCA. 


ASSOCIATE  &  ASSOCIATE  KEFOMED  CHI  'KCHES  UNITED. 


TM  TT8BURGH: 

HUUimi  BY  OH,   WUUN  A   \  No:  74  THIRD  STREET, 

United  I'ltsbyUfruui  office. 


ADOPTION  OF  THE  TESTIMONY. 

The  Associate  Synod,  in  May,  1857,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  adopted  the  Basis;  and 
the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  at  the  same  time  in  Kew  York  city  also  adopted  it.  The 
Associate  Synod  at  the  same  meeting  declared  how  she  understood  the  language  of  the 
Associate  Refermed  Synod  in  her  adopting  act  on  the  subject  of  forbearance.  The  follow- 
ing preamble  and  resolutions  were  adopted  by  both  Synods,  on  the  day  preceding  the  con- 
summation of  the  union,  in  Pittsburgh,  May  25th,  1858. 

Whereas,  it  is  understood  that  the  Testimony  submitted  to  the  General  Synod  of  the 
Associate  Reformed  Church  bj  the  Associate  Synod  was  proposed,  and  accepted  as  a  term 
of  communion,  on  the  adoption  of  which  the  union  of  the  two  churches  is  to  be  consum- 
mated. 

And  whereas,  it  is  agreed  between  the  two  churches  that  the  forbearance  in  love  which 
is  required  by  the  law  of  God,  be  exercised  toward  any  brethren  who  may  not  be  able  fully 
to  subscribe  to  the  standards  of  the  United  Church,  while  they  do  not  determinedly  oppose 
them,  but  follow  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify 
another. 

Resolved,  1st,  That  these  churches,  when  united,  shall  be  called  the  "United  Presby- 
terian Church  of  North  America." 

Resolved,  2d,  That  the  respective  Presbyteries  of  these  churches  shall  remain  as  pres- 
ently constituted  until  otherwise  ordered,  as  convenience  shall  suggest. 

Resolved,  od,  That  the  supreme  court  of  this  church  shall  be  a  General  Assembly,  to 
meet  annually,  to  be  composed  of  delegates  from  the  respective  Presbyteries,  the  number 
of  delegates  to  be  according  to  the  proportion  of  the  members  constituting  each  Presby- 
tery, as  now  fixed  by  the  rules  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  until  a  change  shall  be 
found  expedient. 

Resolved,  Ath,  That  there  shall  be  subordinate  Synods,  and  these  shall  be  the  same  as 
those  now  existing  in  the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  to  which  Synods  the  different  Pres- 
byteries in  the  Associate  Church  shall  attach  themselves  for  the  present,  according  to  their 
location :  Provided,  That  the  separate  Synods  and  Presbyteries  of  the  said  Associate  Re- 
formed and  Associate  Churches  shall  also  continue  as  at  present  constituted,  until  other- 
Wise  directed. 

Resolved,  5th,  That  the  General  and  subordinate  Synods  shall  be  regulated  according  to 
the  rules  presently  in  force  m  the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  until  the  United  Church 
shall  see  fit  to  alter  such  rules. 

Resolved,  Qth,  That  the  different  Boards  and  Institutions  of  the  respective  churches  shall 
not  be  affected  by  this  union,  but  shall  have  control  of  their  funds,  and  retain  all  their 
corporate  or  other  rights  and  privileges,  until  the  interests  of  the  church  shall  require  a 
change. 


STNGERI.Y  &  MYERS'  POWER  PRESS. 


Til  1  :    T  EST  I   MO  X  ^ 


o  i      t  ii  i: 


9'nitrt  prrsbiitfriau  (Lljurdj  of  Jtortj)  3lmcrit;t. 


INT  B ODD C  1  ION. 


We  believe  it  to  be  t lie  duty  of  the  church,  as  a  faithful  wit- 
ness tor  the  truth,  to  exhibit,  plainly  and  explicitly,  all  the  prin- 
ciples of  her  profession,  in  a  published  creed  or  confession.  A 
simple  acknowledgment  of  the  Scriptures  m  the  word  of  God, 
and  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  is  not  sufficient,  while 
th  re  multitudes  professing  such  n  belief  in  the  Scriptun  b, 
whose  principles  are  grossly  heretical,  and  subversive  of  tlu- doc- 
trines of  our  holy  religion.     It  must  therefore  be  evident  to 

who  duly  considers   the  matter,   that   the  church   i 
Christ  cannot  maintain  her  high  character  with-  K  rf JesUS 

Christ,  nor  deal  honestly  and  faithfully  with  those  who  are  out- 
side of  her  pale,  without  such  a  clear  and  unequivocal  statement 
of  those  principles  which  she   is  bound   by  the  word  of  God 
maintain  and  propagate. 

This  course  the  church  of  Christ  has  pursued,  with  a  great 
or  less  degree  of  faithfulness,  in  all  periodi  of  her  histor        It 
ilarly  characterized  thewitm         for  the  truth  at  the  time 
of  the   Reformation,  and  has  erer  been  eminently  blessed  ; 
God.  fis  of  preserving  the  truth,  and  transmitting  i*  t.> 

future  Lrei         ions. 

I  p  >n  this  principle,  our  reforming  forefathers,  in  I  i  reat  Britain 
were  enabled  t«>  act  with  a  high   I  faithfulness,  and  that 

o,  under  peculiar  trial-  and  difficult^        To  them  we  are  in- 
d  r  th..  rable  document  called   the  Coni 

Paith,  which  constitutes  th       mbol  of  the  faith  of  the  I 

terian  family  in  this  country  and  in  Great   Britain 


TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


To  these  Westminster  standards,  (including  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  Catechisms,  Larger  and  Shorter — the  Form  of  Presby- 
terial  Church  Government,  and  Directory  for  the  Public  Worship 
of  God,)  we,  as  a  church,  declare  our  adherence,  as  containing 
a  true  exhibition  of  our  faith  as  a  branch  of  the  church  of  Christ. 
In  making  this  declaration  of  adherence,  we  are  not  to  be  un- 
derstood as  giving  an  unqualified  approbation  of  the  principles 
respecting  the  power  of  the  civil  magistrate,  as  they  are  set  forth 
in  chap.  20th,  sec.  4th;  chap.  23d,  sec.  3d;  chap.  31st,  sec,  2d, 
of  the  Westminster  Confession.  The  language  there  employed 
has  been  variously  interpreted,  and  by  many  thought  to  be  in- 
consistent with  that  "liberty  of  conscience  "  and  that  "  distinct 
government  in  the  hands  of  church  officers  "  which  the  Con- 
fession itself  recognises.  For  this  reason,  we  have  deemed  it  a 
duty,  without  passing  any  judicial  opinion  in  relation  to  the 
meaning  of  these  parts  of  the  Confession,  to  exhibit,  in  a  par- 
allel column,  the  acknowledged  doctrine  of  the  church* — leav- 
ing it  to  every  reader  to  form  his  own  opinion  as  to  the  agree- 
ment or  disagreement  between  the  views  thus  set  forth.  This 
course  we  have  been  led  to  adopt,  from  a  desire  to  avoid  doing 
violence  to  that  feeling  of  veneration,  which  all  true  Presbyte- 
rians cherish  for  this  standard  of  faith  to  which  the  church,  un- 
der God,  is  so  much  indebted ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  dis- 
charge a  duty  that  is  resting  upon  us,  to  exhibit  clearly  and  ful- 
ly what  we  believe  to  be  the  principles  of  divine  truth  on  this 
subject.  If  we  are  here  agreed,  a  difference  of  opinion,  as  to 
the  import  of  the  language  employed  in  the  Confession,  ought 
not  to  affect  Christian  union  and  communion. 

We  have  said,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church,  to  exhibit, 
plainly  and  explicitly,  all  the  principles  of  her  profession,  in  a 
published  creed  or  confession.  This  duty  was  discharged  with 
a  high  degree  of  faithfulness  by  the  framers  of  the  Westmin- 
ster Confession.  It  should,  however,  not  be  forgotten,  that  the 
church  of  God,  while  "holding  fast  that  whereunto  she  has  at- 
tained/' should  also  strive  to  be  making  progress  in  the  attain- 
ment of  divine  truth.     If  it  be  the  duty  of  Christians,  in  their 


*For  this,  see  the  Appep<Jix. 


UNITED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 


individual  capacity,  bo  u  pi  irard  "  towards  perfection,  it 

in:  dnly  be  th<    duty  of  flic  church,  in  her  ;  iated   ;.nd 

colic  capacity,  to  Jo  the  same  thing  ;    and  baring  made  ad- 

ditional attainments,  to  deolare  her  belief  in  them,  and   her  a<!- 

hei       i  to  them  as  i  part  of  u  the  testimony  of  •  It  is 

only  by  doin         .  that  she  can    fully  nplish   her   mission  in 

the  world,  and  faithfully  carry  out  the  injunction  of  her  ascend- 
ed Lord,  ;    I      h  all  thing*  whatt        rheh  i      mtmanded  ht 

Under  a  on  conviction  of  our  duty,  in   this  respect,  wo, 

as  a  church,  have,  in  the  following  document,  set  forth  our  views 
on  certain  points,  which  were  either  not  distinctly  introduced  in- 
to the  Confession  of  Faith  by  its  frarners,  or  not  exhibited  with 
that  fulness  and  explicitness,  which  the  circumstances  of  the 
church,  the  times  in  which  we  live;  and  the  views  and  practices 
of  those  around  us,  demand  of  us  as  witnesses  for  the  truth. 
The  articles,  set  forth  by  us  in  the  following  Testimony,  on 
Psalmody,  Communion,  Slaveholding,  Secret  Societies,  and  Cov- 
enanting, may  be  regarded  as  specially  referring  to  this  class  of 
subjects,  and  might  therefore  very  properly  be  introduced  into 
the  body  of  our  Confession  of  Faith.  It  may,  however,  be  most 
convenient  for  the  present,  that  they  appear  in  this  Testimony. 

As  all  the  principles  of  our  profession  are  set  forth  in  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  and  in  the  Articles  on  the 
subjects  just  referred  to,  (which  Articles  may  be  said,  in  a  pe- 
culiar manner,  to  distinguish  our  profession  from  some  of  the 
churches  in  this  country,  whose  recognised  symbol  of  faith  is 
the  Westminster  Confession,)  it  may  appear  to  some,  that  a 
further  exhibition  of  truth  is  unnecessary.  Such  would  be  the 
case,  if  all  who  profess  an  adherence  to  this  Confession  received 
it  in  its  genuine  sense,  and  maintained  it  by  the  faithful  exer- 

se  of  discipline,  and  by  their  writings  and  public  ministrations. 
It  is,  hoK  \  to  be  lamented,  that  this  i>  far  from  being  always 
done  by  thoSfe  from  whom  it  might  be  expected.  Wc  would  be 
sorry  to  make  a  repre-  'i<»n  more  unfavorable  than  the  fac 
of  the  case  would  justify,  and  we  desire  not  to  be  unmindful  of 
any  man  tions  of  faithfulness  on  the   part   of    thoM    Pres- 

byterian  churches  from  which   we  are    in  a   state   of  ra- 


6  TESTIMONY   OF    THE 

tion.       We  love  them   for   the  sake  of  the  truth  we  hold  in 
common.     Yet,  faithfulness  to  our  Divine  Master,  and  love  to 
our  brethren,  whom  we  desire  to  see,  not  only  professing,  but 
walking  in  the  truth,  require  us  solemnly  to  testify  against  some 
of  the  more  serious  departures  from  the  Confession  of  Faith,  with 
which  many,  particularly  in  this  land,  are  chargeable.    In  doing 
this,  we  cannot  be  justly  regarded  as    attaching  a  dispropor- 
tionate importance  to  these  points.       The   fact  that  we  have 
brought  them  prominently  to  view  has  arisen  mainly  from  the 
circumstances  just  mentioned,  which  we  think  attach  to  them 
the  character  of  the  "  present  truth,"  in  which  it  becomes  us 
to  be  "  established."     We  believe  that  when  the  principles  set 
forth  in  the  creed  or  confession  of  a  church  are  assailed,  mis- 
represented, or  thrown  into  the  shade,  it  becomes  the  duty  of 
the  church,  to  declare,  explain  and  defend  these  principles,  by 
the  emission  of  a  distinctive  testimony.    On  this  principle,  those 
who  have,  from  time  to   time,  felt  it  to  be  their  duty  to  secede 
from  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and  those  who  have  maintained  a 
separate  ecclesiastical  organization  from  the  two  great  divisions 
in  this  country,  known  by  the  name  of  Presbyterian,  have  acted 
in  one  form  or  another,  and  we  believe  that  there  are  still  suffi- 
cient causes  for  the  performance  of  this  duty.     Such  a  testimo- 
ny, although  containing  the  same  principles  which  have  been 
already  embraced  in  the   church's  confession,  is  certainly  well 
calculated  to  bring  out  clearly  before  the  mind,  the  principles  of 
that  confession  from  which  there  have  been  departures,  and  thus 
serve,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  to  revive  a  love  for  them  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  profess  them,  and  thereby  secure  their  faith- 
ful maintenance  on  the  part  of  all  concerned.     Nor  can  such  a 
course  be  regarded  as  opposed  to  a  spirit  of  union  and  brotherly 
love,  or  a  desire  for  union  among  those  who  profess  an  adher- 
ence to  the  same  standard  of  faith.    On  the  contrary,  we  believe 
it  to  be  the  dictate  of  love,  and  directly  calculated,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  to  secure  an  intelligent  and  cordial  union  among  all 
those  who  are  the  true  friends  of  our  common  Confession. 

Deeply  impressed  with  this  fact,  and  sensible  of  the  solemn 
responsibilities  of  our  position  as  a  Presbyterian  church,  in  a 


UNITED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 


state  o  taration  from  other  PrtB  iaa  churches,  particu- 
larly in  tl  to  1  animal  I  re  trust,  I  i  ardent  de- 
naaintain  and  pro  the  parity  of  the  Lord'fl  house  in 
d  Motrin  Lisoipline,  an  1  g  wernment,  aad  in  Bab  urdina- 
lion  t  >  this,  the  unity  of  the  church  of  Christ,  we  hereby,  in 
the  iii  the  great  Bead  of  the  church,  publish  to  the  world, 
this,  our  Testioaony  j  beseeching  all  these  into  whose  hinds  it 
naaj  fall,  and  especially  all  the  friends  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fessi  ci  of  Faith,  it  their  serious  and  prayerful  consider- 
ation . 

An  a  Iherenee  to  the  Westminster  stau  I  urds  before  referred  to, 
and  to  the  Declarations  bainedio  he  following!  aony,  will 
bj  required  of  tfa  >s  >k  ag  ooaaunnio  i  with  ns.  An  assent 
i  the  argumentation  and  illustration  under  each  Declaration, 
oannot,  with  propriety,  be  demanded  as  a  term  of  communion, 
hut  these  parts  may  be  useful  as  a  guide  to  the  meaning  of  the 
Declaration. 

ARTICLE    I. — OF    THE    PLEXARY    INSPIRATION    OF   THE 

SCRIPTURES. 
D  E  C  L  A  R  A  1  I  O  ■  . 

\Y  '  ir>  ,   That  Gh>d   has  not  only  in  the  Scriptures  of  the 

0M  an  i  New  T  iit<  made  a   revelation  of  his  will  to  man, 

as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  but  that  these  Scriptures, 
vi-  a  revelation  from  <1  1 1,  are  in  every  part  the  inspired 

word  of  God,  and  that  this  inspiration  extends  to  the  language, 
as  well  as  to  the  sentiments  which  they  express. 

Argument  ami  Illustration* 

This  we  hold  to  be  the  doctrine  of  our  Conff  ch;ip.  1st,  MO.  2d. 

It  is  the  oily  view  of  the  subject  that  aceor  1<  with  Scripture  an  1  N 
son.     9  ktiOB   ifl   involved  in  the  phrase  "word   of  God," 

which  is  applied   to  the  Scriptw  Mirk  vii.  13;    Rom.  ix.  6  ;   2  Cor.  iv. 

Heh.  vi.  r).»     [t  is  exp  declared,  (2  Tim.  iii.  L6,  |  n  M  merely  that 

Scripture  was  written    by  impir&l  /*«>*,  but  th  it  the   S:ripture  itself,  and 
mil  Scripture,  rl.     -H  »ly  men   of  God,"  WB    ire  told  , 

(2  P*  Holj  Ghost."  Paul  tells 

.r.  ii.    13,)  thai    h  »ke   M   tki   writ   w'.iioh    the    Holj   Gho3t 

taught  hira  id"'  I  vim.  xxiii.  2)  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 

tp\kt  bj  aim,  and  his  wyrd  was  iu  his  tongue.      It  m  iy  also  be  Inferred 


8  TESTIMONY    OF   THE 

from  two  Scriptural  facts.  1.  The  writers  themselves  did  not  always 
fully  understand  what  they  wrote.  1  Pet.  i.  10,  11.  But  no  man  could 
write  intelligibly  on  a  subject  which  he  did  not  understand,  unless  the 
language  itself  was  dictated.  2.  We  find  the  apostles  sometimes  reason- 
ing from  the  very  terms  or  modes  of  expression  used  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures,  (Gal.  iii.  11,  13,  16;  Heb.  i.  6,  8  ;  Heb.  iv.  1  j  Heb.  x.  8,  9  } 
Heb.  xii.  26,  27.)  But  why  this,  if  these  terms  or  modes  of  expression 
were  not  dictated  by  the  Holy  Ghost? 

It  may  be  thought  that  the  historical  parts  of  Scripture  did  not  re- 
quire such  an  inspiration  j  but  no  one  can  prove  this  to  have  been  the 
case.  On  the  contrary,  as  every  part  of  Scripture  has  a  higher  end  than 
the  temporal  benefit  of  individuals  and  nations,  even  the  advancement  of 
salvation  in  subserviency  to  the  glory  of  God  in  Christ,  it  is  most  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  it  would  require  a  manner  of  thinking  and  writing 
peculiar  to  itself. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  above  declaration  and  testimony  on  this  sub- 
ject inconsistent  with  the  belief  that  the  inspired  penmen  wrote  agree- 
ably to  their  respective  talents  for  composition  ;  and  consequently,  there 
is  no  argument,  in  the  diversity  of  style  which  characterizes  the  Scrip- 
tures, against  their  plenary  inspiration }  unless  it  can  be  shown  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  could  not  direct  them  according  to  their  respective  talents. 
We  deem  it  a  matter  of  great  importance  that  the  truth  on  this  sub- 
ject should  be  maintained,  as  any  thing  short  of  it  is  calculated  to  weaken 
the  authority  of  the  Bible,  render  indeterminate  its  teachings,  and  throw 
a  suspicion  over  the  whole  of  Divine  Revelation.  It  is  plain,  if  the  ideas 
only  were  inspired,  that  we  have  only  human  authority  upon  which  to 
depend  for  the  accuracy  with  which  the  idea  is  presented.  To  the  ne- 
glect or  denial  of  this  truth,  is  to  be  ascribed,  in  a  great  measure,  the  ele- 
vation of  reason  to  the  place  of  supreme  judge  in  matters  of  revelation, 
the  low  views  which  many  entertain  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures, 
and  of  the  feelings  and  motives  by  which  their  writers  were  prompted. 

ARTICLE    II. —  OF  THE   ETERNAL    SONSH1P   OF    CHRIST- 

declaration: 
We  declare,  That  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  true  and 
supreme  God,  being  one  in  essence  with  the  Father,  but  also  the 
Son  of  God  in  respect  of  his  natural,  necessary,  and  eternal  re- 
lation to  the  Father. 

Argument  and  Illustration, 

The  doctrine  here  stated,  and  which  is  exhibited  in  our  Confession, 
chap.  2d,  sec.  3d,  stands  opposed,  not  only  to  the  opinions  of  those  who 
deny  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  also  of  some  who  profess 


I  N1TKI)    L'KESfil  TERIAN    CHURCH, 


a  belief  In  the  Trinity.     They  deny  that   our   Lord  is  called  th< 

of  bis  relation  to  the  !  one  of  the  person*  of  the 

Trinity,  and  affirm  thai  Be  is  so  called  be  a,  Incarn 

•n,  or  resumption. 

That  the  declaration  we  have  given  on  this  crabject  is  the  doctrine  of 

!,  will   appear  when  we   consider   that   Jesus    called   God  His 
in  the  original  his  proper  /-VW.  i  irhen  speaking  of  him  as  the 
Snpteoft  .  (John  T.  IT,  18  ;)  and  the  name  son  being  a  correlate 

that  uf_  must  mean,  when  applied  to  the  second  person  of  the  Tri- 

nity, an  identity  of  nature  with  the  Father.  The  Jews  understood  our 
Lord,  in  calling  himself  the  Son  of  God,  to  claim  an  identity  of  nature 
with  him,  and  their  OB  landing  of  the  extent  of  this  claim  was  sanc- 
tioned by  our  Lord,  (John  x.  30 — 30.)  It  is  ''the  Son"  that  knows  the 
ther,  (Matt.  xi.  27) — that  do-  me  WOrkfl  with  the  Father.  (John 

v.  19,  21] —  is  entitled  to  the  same  honours,   (John  v.  23.)     The  fact  tfa 
he  was  the  Son  of  God  is  urged  as  an  evidence  of  the  greatness  i  Vb 

love  in  sending  him  to   die  for  our  sins,    (John  iii.  10;  Rom.  viii.  32) — 
as  an  evidence  of  his   own  amazing  love  and  condescension,  (Heb.  v  8; 
.1.  ii.  30) — as  an  evidence  of  the  dignity  of  his  person,  (Heb.  i.  2  :  v.  8:) 
an  evidence  of  the  efficiency  of  his  offices,  (Heb.  iii.  5,  G:  iv.  14,  vii. 
28;  John  i.  18;  v.  25  ;   1  John  i.  7) — all  which  imply  a  natural  and  ne- 
.tion. 

could  not  be  called  the  Son  of  God  on  account  of  his  eternal  ap- 
pointment to  the  mediatorial  ofh'ee,  for  he  is  recognised  as  a  Son  in  this 
appointment,  (Ps.  ii.  G — 8;  John  iii.  1G,  17;)  nor  on  account  of  his  in- 
carnation, for  the  formation  of  the  human  nature  is  ascribed  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  is  not   called  by  him  the   Father,  (Luke  i.  35) — nor  on  ac- 

unt  of  hi  irrection,  for  he  was   then  only  '//-"/ to  be  the  Son 

of  God   with   po  (Rom.  i.  3,   4.)     Paul,  it  if  Acts   ix.  20.) 

"preached  Christ,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,"  in  which  there  is  a  distinc- 

a  evidently  recognised  between  his  mediatorial  office,  as  the  anointed 
of  I  and  his  Sonship. 

We  deem  it  a  matter  of  great  importance  that  this  doctrine  of  our  holy 
religion  should  be  witnessed  for  by  the  church  :  as  it  affects  the  supreme 
deity,  distinct  nality         .  mediatorial  ul!  ad  work  of  our  glori- 

ous Immanuel. 

ARTICLE     III. — <»F   THK   COVENANT   OJ  IKfl 

DSOLABATIOB 

H  Thai  <•'  »1  having  created  man  in  a  state  of  pwv 

holirj  ti<l  in  j  o  of  a  p  rfed  ability  I  him 

in  all  things,  «li'l  enter  into  a  with  him,  in  which  eov- 


10  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 

enant  Adam  was  the  representative  of  all  his  natural  posterity, 
so  that  in  him  they  were  to  stand  or  fall  as  he  stood  or  fell. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Confession,  chap.  iv.  sec.  2;  chap.  vi.  sec.  3; 
and  also  of  the  Larger  Catechism,  Questions  20,  21,  22. 

In  this  Declaration  we  have  affirmed  that  God  entered  into  a  covenant 
With  man.  That  this  was  the  nature  of  the  transaction  recorded  in  Gen. 
ii.  16,  17,  will  appear  from  the  following  considerations.  It  is  called  a 
covenant,  (Hosea  vi.  7,  see  the  margin.)  It  possesses  all  the  parts  of  a 
covenant.  1.  There  are  two  parties  mentioned,  '"God"  and  "man."  2. 
There  is  a  promise  on  the  part  of  God  implied  in  the  threatening,  (Rom* 
Vii.  10 ;  viii.  3  ;  x.  5  ;  Matt.  xix.  16,  17.)  3.  There  is  a  condition  imposed 
Upon  man;  namely,  that  he  is  not  to  eat  of  a  certain  tree.  4.  There  is 
a  mutual  agreement  between  the  parties,  which  agreement  on  the  part 
of  God  is  expressed  in  the  command  and  promise  of  God,  and  implied 
on  the  part  of  man  in  the  fact  of  his  perfect  conformity  to  the  will  of 
God — in  his  silent  acquiescence,  in  the  reply  of  Eve  to  the  serpent,  and 
in  the  apology  which  he  offered  to  God  for  his  sin.  These  considera- 
tions, we  believe,  show  that  the  transaction  referred  to  was  truly  and  pro* 
perly  a  covenant  between  God  and  man.  God,  in  entering  into  this  cov- 
enant with  Adam,  manifested  the  greatness  of  his  condescension  and 
kinduess.  It  is  highly  important  that  the  strictly  federal  character  of 
this  transaction  should  be  maintained,  as  erroneous  views  here  must  ne- 
cessarily lead  to  erroneous  views  in  reference  to  the  nature  of  the  trans- 
action in  the  covenant  between  God  and  Christ,  "the  second  Adam." 

We  have  also  affirmed  that  Adam,  in  this  transaction,  was  the  repre* 
sentative  of  all  his  natural  posterity,  so  that  in  him  they  were  to  stand 
or  fall,  as  he  stood  or  fell.  By  "representative"  we  do  not  simply  mean 
that  he  was  their  natural  head  or  parent, — this  circumstance  laid  a  foun- 
dation, and  proved  his  fitness  for  sustaining  a  representative  character — 
but  we  mean  that  he  was  their  moral  head — that  he  appeared  and  acted 
in  their  name,  as  well  as  his  own,  so  that  in  law,  according  to  the  cove- 
nant agreement  between  God  and  him,  his  acts  became  virtually  their 
acts,  they  as  well  as  he  being  held  responsible  for  them. 

That  Adam  thus  represented  his  posterity,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that 
they  are  all  said  to  have  "sinned  in  him,"  (Rom.  v.  12,  see  margin,) — that 
they  were  "made,"  or  constituted  "sinners"  by  his  "disobedience,"  (Rom. 
v.  19,) — that  they  all  died  in  him,  (1  Cor.  xv.  22,) — that  they  were  all 
brought  under  the  sentence  then  passed,  (Rom.  v.  12 — 18,) — that  even 
infants  are  subjected  to  this  sentence,  (Rom.  v.  14.)  The  representative 
character  of  Adam  in  the  covenant  appears  further  from  the  special  no- 
tice which  the  apostle  takes  of  the  "offence,"  the  "offence  of  one,"  and 


(JOTTED    PKKSBYTKKIAN    CHURCH.  11 

>ne  Ban's  ofl  :n.  v.  16 — IS) — thcrehy  showing  that  in  that  of- 

ft-nre  he  bu  posterity  ■  peculiar  relation.    It  appears  also 

from  the  representative  character  ascribed  to  Christ,  (John  vi.  M7;  x.  15,* 
xvii.  I;  ba.  lift.  It),  11:  Bet),  vii.  22;  1  Cor.  xv.  20,  23,)  taken  in  con- 
nection with  fcbt  fact  that  Adam  is  caHed  hi  or  type,  (Rom.  v. 
MA  where  the  reference  must  be  to  hifl  representative  character,  and 
also  taken   in  connection  with  the    comparison    Whictl  the  apostle  draws 

(Horn,  y.)  bei  lam  and  Christ  ai  to  their  respective  relation  to  the 

introduction  of  sin  and  ofr.  Another  convincing  proof  that 

die  posterity  al  Adam  were  represented  by  him  la  the  covenant,  we  have 
iv.  the  moral  1  ter  and  condition  of  infants,  (Rom.  v.  14;  1  Cor.  vii. 

Ma  it  being  imj  ble  to  account  for  (heir  Bubjection  to  the  Ian  and  its 
curse  but  bj  a  reference  to  the  "olicnee  of  one,'"  by  which  "judgment 
came  upon  all  uren  to  condemnation." 

trine  of  "he   Bible  and  of  the  Confession   has  been  sadly  cor* 

nipted  by  many  "in   this  land  who  profess  an  adherence  to  the   YVestmin- 

ndardfl — affirming  that  Adam   and  ivis  posterity  were  connected 

only  nciple  of  "social  liability;"  according  to   which  his  sin  was 

only  in  some  way  the  occasion  of  their  sin  and   death,  and  not  the  judi- 

il  ground  of  t:  and  that  we  "have   no  more  to  do  with  the  first  sin 

of  Adam   than  with  the   sm   of  any  other  parents.     Such  a  view  of  the 

.hject  we  tegard   as  wholly  unscnptural.  and  of  dangerous  tendency. 
It  is  the  dictate  of  carnal  reason  and  vain  philosophy. 

ABTICLB  IV. — of  the  fall  of   man,  and  his  present 

INABILITY* 

D  I  0  I.  A  R  A  T  1  0  N 

Wi  ieclare^  That  our  first  parents  did,  by  their  breach  of 
veiiant  with  God, subject  themselves  to  his  eternal  wrath,  and 
bring  themselves  iato  such  a  state  ui'  depravity  as  to  be  wholly 
inclined  to  sin,  ai.d  altogether  unable,  bj  their  own  power,  to 
•rni  a  single  act  of  acceptable  obedience  to  God;  and  that 
ail  their  natural  posterity,  hi  virtue  of  their  representation  in 
the  covenant,  are  born  into  the  world  in  the  same  state  of  guilty 
depravity,  and  inability,  and  in  thi>  -late  will  continue  until  de- 

Ii\  odj  l'V  the  grace  and  rigltteoHaneaa  of  the  Lord 

J(  soj  Chri 

.1  rgutm  ///  and  Illustration, 

Tl  (i  that  we  have  given  On    the  tall   o I   man,  and  its  conse- 

qjoences,  is  in  lance  with   tfef  I'unles.  f  Faith,  chap.  vi.  sees.  2, 

chap,  ix.  s< 


12  TESTIMONY    OF   fH£ 

g^— ■      ■  I  ■     -  "  ■■!■■■-  ■  ■  .     .1         ■  .  ,  I  - ■-       —   — — — ■        ■       - 

That  our  first  parents  became  by  their  sin  subject  to  death,  appears 
from  the  threatening  of  death  pronounced  by  God,  (Gen.  ii.  17  ;)  which 
death  includes  in  it  the  separation  of  the  soul  and  body,  with  its  antece- 
dents as  a  penal  evil,  (Rom.  vi.  23;  1  Cot.  xv.  56;  Rom.  i.  32;)  and  the 
everlasting  separation  from  his  favor  and  presence  of  both  soul  and  body 
as  appears  from  the  contrast  which  the  apostle  draws  between  the  sin 
and  death  introduced  by  Adam,  and  the  righteousness  and  life  intro- 
duced by  Christ,  (Rom.  v.  12,  18;)  and  also  from  the  terror,  shame,  and 
confusion  into  which  our  first  parents  were  thrown,  and  their  disposition 
to  hide  themselves  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  God,  (Gen.  iii.  7,  8  ;) 
all  which,  with  the  provision  of  grace  revealed  for  their  restoration,  (Gen. 
iii.  15,  21, J  clearly  indicate  that  the  condition  of  our  first  parents  was 
one  of  guilt,  depravity,  and  inability 

That  this  is  the  state  in  which  the  posterity  of  Adam  come  into  the 
world,  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence  from  his  representative  char- 
acter, which  we  have  before  proved ;  his  sin  is  theirs,  and  is  so  imputed 
to  them  by  the  righteous  Judge  of  all.  Accordingly  we  find  man  decla- 
red to  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  (Rom.  iii.  19;  v.  16,  18;  Gal.  iii. 
10,) — of  death,  (Rom.  v.  12,  14,) — having  an  understanding  darkened, 
(Jer.  iv.  22;  1  Cor.  ii.  14;  Eph.  iv.  18.) — a  will  opposed  to  the  will  of 
God,  (Rom.  viii.  7 ;  Col.  i.  21 ;  Rom.  i.  30,)  a  mind  and  conscience  defiled 
(Tit.  i.  15;  1  Tim.  iv.  2,  Heb.  ix.  14,) — ^affections  corrupted,  (Rom.  viii. 
5,)— and  the  body  subjected  to  a  state  of  sinful  subservience  (Phil.  iii. 
19,  21  'f  Rom.  vi.  13;  James  iii.  6;  Rom.  iii.  13,  15.)  This  state  of  con- 
demnation and  depravity,  is  universal,  extending  to  every  individual  of 
the  human  family,  (Rom.  iii.  9,  19 ;  John  iii.  6,) — total,  corrupting  the 
whole  man,  (Gen.  vi.  5 ;  Ps.  xiv.  Jer.  xvii.  9,) — native,  having  been 
brought  with  us  into  the  world,  (Ps.  Ii.  5  j  John  iii.  6;  Eph.  ii.  3.) 

Such  being  the  condemnation  and  depravity  of  alJ  men,  their  inability 
to  believe,  repent,  or  by  their  own  power  to  do  any  thing  which  is  pleas- 
ing to  God,  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence.  But  the  proof  of  man's 
inability  does  not  depend  upon  inference.  The  Saviour  says,  (John  xv. 
&,)  that  without  him  we  can  do  nothing.  We  cannot  come  to  him,  un- 
less divinely  drawn,  (John  vi.  44.)  Paul  declares  that  we  are  without 
strength,  (Rom.  v.  6.)  We  are  represented  as  dead,  (Eph.  ii.  1,) — corrupt 
trees,  which  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit,  (Matt.  vii.  17,  18.}  This  inabi- 
lity of  man  is  also  supposed  in  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the  necessity  of 
a  change  of  state  and  of  heart,  in  order  to  his  walking  with  God  in  new- 
ness of  life,  (Rom.  vii.  4;  Eph.  ii.  10;  Phil.  ii.  13.) 

Many  who  profess  an  adherence  to  the  Westminster  standards,  claim 
for  the  sinner  what  is  called  a  "natural  ability"  to  believe,  repent,  and 
perform  good  works.  The  expression  conveys  an  erroneous  idea,  if  it  be 
used  in  any  other  sense  than  simply  to  affirm  that  man  is  still  in  posses- 


tXITKI)    ri{!>nTKR[A.V    rill  tfcCtt.  1 

sion  of  hi<  r.itioTvil  faculties;  bat  if  in  tlii^  m  t  i-  an  improper 

erpn  in  this— it  him  what  he 

•    in  anj  kbility  to  do  what  God  requires  him  to  do. 

>d  i3  no  !»:-<>of  of  his  ability.     This  ability  he 
po  1  in  hira  lost  it.     It  ~o  an   inability  which  in- 

volves in  it  opposition  an  1   hil  law,  which,  of  c  <>t  be 

e*  cover,  does  not  perform   towards  God 

en  those  natnra]  God  requires  of  hi'  1    thereby  shows 

that  a  sense  of  inability  is  not  the  no  of  his  disobedience.     And  let 

it  be  remembere  I  :h  is  freely  offered  in  the  gospel,   Nah. 

i.  7:   Ps.   xxvii.  l  ...  \1.  2 ;•:)  of  this   strength  we  are  comma  to 

hold,      i  Isa.  xxvii.  5.) 

W  solemnly   tcsti:  un>t   the   following   ert         — th  it 

there  is  no  such  thi  \  original  sin — that  infants  come  into  the  world 
as  perfectly  free  from  corruption  as  A  I  tin  was  when  he  was  created — 
that  by  original  sin  nothing  more  is  meant  than  the  fact  that  all  the  pos- 
terity of  A  though  born  entirely  free  from  moral  defilement,  will 
al"  ;in  to  sin  when  they  begin  to  exercise  moral  agency,  and  that 
th  >raehow  connected  with  the  fall  of  man — that  there  is  no 
such  thi  ed  sin — that  the  impenitent  sinner  is,  by  nature,  and 
-endently  of  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  full  possession  of  all  the 
powers  neces-ary  to  a  compliance  with  the  commands  of  God — and  that 
if  he  labor  under  any  kind  of  inabilitv.  natural  or  moral,  which  he  could 
not  himself  remove,  he  would  be  excusable  for  not  complying  with  God's 
will. 

ARTICLE    V. OF   TIIK     NATURE    AND    EXTENT     OF    TIIE 

ATONEMENT. 

D  E  C  L  A  n  A  T  I  0  N  . 

Wc  >h  darty  That  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  did,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  th-  rather,  and  bj  his  own  gncioiU  and  voluntary  act, 
place  himself  in  the  room  of  a  definite  Dumber,  who  were  cho- 
sen in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;  so  that  he  was 
their  true  and  proper  legal  Surety;  and  as  sueh,  did.  in  th  ir 
behalf.  fy  the  j  e  of  Ghod,  mod  answer  all  the  demand- 

which  the  law  had  them,  and  thereby  infallibly  obtain 

fur  them  eternal  redemption. 

Ar</"hi  /  TUustration. 

The  doctrine  here  dec'  I  he  doctrine  of  our  Confession,  chap,  viii' 

tecs.  3,  4,  8. 


14  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 

That  our  Lord  sustained  the  character  and  relation  of  a  Surety  and 
Substitute  is,  we  believe,  unequivocally  taught  in  che  word  of  God.  He 
is  called  (Heb.  vii.  22)  "the  Surety  of  a  better  testament,"  (covenant.) 
He  was  "made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law," 
(Gal.  iv.  4,  5.)  He  is  represented  as  acting  not  for  himself,  (Dan.  ix.  26,) 
but  for  (or  instead  of)  his  people  in  the  work  of  salvation,  (1  Pet.  iii.  18$ 
Matt.  xx.  28  ;  Isa.  liii.  5.)  Our  "iniquities"  were  "laid  upon  him,"  (Isa. 
liii.  6.)  He  "  bore  our  sins,"  (Heb.  ix.  28  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  24.)  He  "  was  made 
sin  for  us,"  (2  Cor.  v.  21.)  He  was  "  made  a  curse  for  us,"  (Gal.  iii.  13.) 
This  truth  also  appears  from  the  vicarious  character  of  the  typical  sacri- 
fices under  the  ceremonial  law,  (Lev.  xvii.  11;  Heb.  x.  1 — 12;  Lev.  iv* 
24;  Lev.  xvi.  21.)  On  no  other  principle  can  we  reconcile  the  sufferings 
endured  by  Christ  with  the  holiness  of  his  nature  and  life,  and  with  the 
love  of  the  Father  for  him,  both  which  are  asserted  in  the  Scriptures, 
(Luke  i.  35  ;  Acts  iv.  27  ;  2  Cor.  v.  21  ;  Matt.  iv.  17  ;  John  xvii.  24.)  As 
the  Surety  of  his  people,  our  Lord  represented  them  in  law ;  and  in  this 
light  he  is  clearly  exhibited  to  us  in  Romans  v.  12 — 18.  These  proofs 
fully  establish  the  truth  of  our  declaration  that  our  Lord  was  the  true 
and  proper  legal  Surety  of  his  people* 

We  have  also  declared  that  our  Lord,  as  the  Surety  of  his  people,  sat- 
isfied the  justice  of  God,  and  answered  all  the  demands  wThich  the  law 
had  against  them.  If  Christ  did,  as  we  have  seen,  take  the  place  of  his 
people  in  law,  he  must  have  done  all  this,  and  nothing  less  than  this. 

Retributive  justice  enters  essentially  into  the  character  of  God  as  Law* 
giver  and  Judge,  (Ps.  ix.  8  ;  Rom.  ii.  6 — '9  ;  Rom.  vi.  23  ;  2  Thess.  i.  6 — 8 ; 
Heb-  x.  30,  31 ;  Prov.  xi.  21.)     This  being  the  case,  it  was  necessary  thai, 
as  one  who  was  "  made  under  the  law,"  he  should  make  satisfaction  to 
the  retributive  justice  of  God  in  behalf  of  his  people:  or,  in  other  words, 
that  he  should  suffer  in  their  room  the  penalty  of  the  law.    Accordingly, 
we  find  the  great  Lawgiver  himself  represented  as  dealing  with  him  in 
what  he  suffered  through  the  instrumentality  of  others,  (John  xix.  11; 
Acts  ii.  23 ;  Acts  iv.  27  ;  Isa.  liii.  10.)     It  is  only  on  this  principle  that 
we  can  account  for  his  amazement  and  agony  in  the  garden,  (Luke  xxii. 
42 — 44 ;)  and  his  bitter  lamentation  on  the  cross,  (Mark  xv.  34.)     That 
our  Lord  satisfied  the  justice  of  God  by  suffering  the  penalty  of  the  law, 
is  asserted  in  Galatians,  iii.  10,  13— -"As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the 
law,  are  under  the  curse;11  "Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us.11     The  same  important  truth  is  also  ex- 
hibited to  our  view  by  the  word  "sacrifice,"  which  is  frequently  applied 
to  the  sufferings  of  Christ.     This  word,  especial^  when  interpreted  in 
the  light  of  the  ancient  types,  clearly  involves  the  idea  of  the  satisfaction 
of  justice  in  the  strict  and  proper  sense  of  that  term,  (Heb.  ix.  26  ;  x» 
5 — 12.)     In  no  other  way  can  we  reconcile  the  sufferings  of  Christ  with 
the  justice  of  God  the  Father,  in  his  dealings  with  his  Son  ;  or  see  how 


I   Ml  KM     PRESfcl  IKK1  AN     I   BCTfiCH. 

God  nan  be  Mjoi  Fy  the  nngodlj,"  (Iwl  liii.  10;  Rom. 

A  of  Christ  in  tiir  Idea  that  he 

the  retributive  justice  of  God  for  those  for  whom  he  iras  m        mderthe 
law,  so  it  also  involve.-  the  Idea  that  he  perfectly  <  1  all  the  precept! 

of  the  law*  for  them.    The  law,  under  which  he  was  made  as  the  Sab- 

adition  of  I  ind  <-on- 

atly,  it  was   w  iry   that   this   o  hould    b« 

Him  who  came  that  We  might  have  life,  (Tit.  i.  '1  ;   Matt.  v.  IT,  IS;  Hum. 

loctrine  of  the  suretyship  and  'action  of  Christ  stands  op- 

posed to  tl;  is  that  in   the  Bufferings  of  Christ   there  was  not  an  en- 

durance   :  the  penalty  of  the  law;  but  that  they  frere  simply  d  «-d 

as  a  substitute  for  the  infliction  of  the  penalty — that  the  whole  legal  sys- 

en  suspended  by  the  atonement — -that  the  Batisfaction  reii  . 
by  Chri-  -  simply  a  Batisfaction  to  the  principles  of  what  some  call 
general  or  public  justice,  and  that  its  only  effect  is  to  render  it  consistent 
with  God's  honor  to  propose  lower  terms  of  salvation  to  the  sinner,  such 
faith,  repentance,  and  sincere  obedience — idea-  which  are  held  mosL 
incon  tly  by  Borne  professed  Presbyterian 

We  1.  irther  declared,  that  the  satisfaction  and  obedience  of  Christ 

were  rendered  by  him  in  the  room  of  a  definite   and  a  chosen  numb 
That  this    was  the  case  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence  from  their 
vicarious  character,  taken  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  some  will  be 
lost.      (Matt.  xxv.  41.)      While  his   death   po  intrinsically,  an  in- 

finite value,  and  must  ha  en  sufficient  a3  a.  ransom  for  all  mankind, 

had  it  been  the  design  of  God  that  all  mankind  should  b(  med  by  it, 

the  Scriptures  clearly  represent  him  ving  his  life  for  a  definite  num- 

r,  called  ••  his  Beed,"  (Isa.  liii.  10,  1!.) — his  "i  in  x.  15, con* 

i  with  vers-  and  Matt.  xxv.  1  :  — hi ^  u  church  !ph.  Y« 

.)     They  are  some  out  of  all  nations,   (ReT.  v.  9,  10,)  and  such  as  were 
to  him  by  ike  Father)  (John  xvii.  2,  I,  ♦>.)     The  very  ' 
and  "ransom"  whi  work  of  Christ,  clearly  im- 

ply this,  unless  all  shall  actual!  i  hav.  I  iims 

upon  those  for  whose  deliverance  an  adequate  price  has  been  paid, 
i  him  did   not  ymy  fur  any   but  his 

altogether  urn         lable  to  Bnp          thai  he  woul 

elude  from  his  pr                                        i  whom  m  ,i  pi  ,  laid 

ah  ill                                  lliat  uni  mi 
with  the  atom                                 I  be  found,  up         caminal 

to  th<          ement  of  Christ  ac         ag      bed  from  the  Letitical  at 

which  w                                                  tion,  ( Rom.  iii.     .  to 
the  applicability  of  the  atonement  to  all,  (1  Tim.  ii.  6j — or  to  the  exclu- 


16  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 


sion  of  every  other  way  of  salvation,  (1  John  ii.  2,) — or  to  the  offer  of 
salvation  to  be  made  to  all,  (2  Cor.  v.  19.) 

These  views  in  reference  to  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  atonement, 

Which  we  have  exhibited,  and  which  we  have  shown  to  be  in  accordance 

with  the  Scriptures,  clearly  involve  the  idea  set  forth  in  our  Declaration 

that  the  satisfaction  and  obedience  rendered  by  Christ  for  his  people,  in* 

fallibly  secure  their  salvation,  and  of  course,  stand  opposed  to  the  idea 

that  Christ  did  not  die,  properly  speaking,  in  the  room  of  sinners ;  but 

only  for  sin  in  general,  with  the  view  merely  of  rendering  salvation  at* 

tainable,  and  equally  attainable,  by  all.     Such  an  idea  is  directly  con* 

trary  to  the  Scriptures,  which  represent  him  as  dying,  not  merely  for  our 

sins,  but  for,  (or  in  the  room  of)  persons  (Isa.  liii.  4 — 6  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  28  \ 

1  Pet.  iii.  18:  Rom.  v.  6 ;   1   Thes.  v.  10;  John  x.  15  $  and  which  also 

represent  the  salvation  of  these  persons  as  infallibly  sure,  (Rom.  viii.  29, 

30;  2  Tim.  ii.  19;  Rom.   vi.  11  ;  Tit.  ii.   14;  Eph.  v.  25 — 27,)  which  it 

would  not  be  if  he  died  alike  for  all,  and  that  only  to  render  salvation 

possible. 

Correct  views  in  relation  to  the  nature  and  extent  of  redemption  are 
necessarily  and  intimately  connected,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance that  the  truth  on  both  these  points  be  clearly  perceived  and  faith- 
fully maintained. 

ARTICLE    VI. — OF   IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

DECLARATION. 

We  declare,  That  in  justification   there  is  an  imputation  to 

the  believer  of  that  righteousness,  or  satisfaction  and  obedience 

which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  surety  of  his  people,  ren* 

dered  to  the  law;  and    that  it  is  ODly  on   the  ground  of  this 

imputed    righteousness  that   his    sins  are    pardoned,  and  his 

person  accepted  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

This  Declaration  is  evidently  in  accordance  with  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  chap.  xi. 

The  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  is  placing  to  the  account 
of  the  believer  in  Christ  what  he  did  as  the  Substitute  and  Surety  of  his 
people.  The  truth  of  the  preceding  Declaration  follows  as  a  necessary 
consequence  from  the  doctrine  that  we  have  already  established  in  rela- 
tion to  the  substitution  of  Christ  in  the  room  of  his  people;  and  hence,  it  is 
denied  only  by  those  who  deny  that  as  a  Substitute,  he  fulfilled  the  law, 
and  endured  its  penalty.  This  doctrine,  however,  is  not  less  clearly 
taught  in  the  Scriptures.  God  is  said  to  "impute  righteousness  without 
works,"  (Rom.  iv.  6,  23.)     We  are  said  to  be  "made  the  righteousness  of 


I  [TED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH.  I  7 


•  1  in  him           ''or.  v.  II.)    Ch  If- 

ness,"  (I  Cor.  i.  SO.)     uBythe  ol                               iny"            lid  t«> 

•hteou-.            :.   v.  19.)     Chri  •            riled— THE  LORD 

o\'\l  RIGHTEOUSNESS  In  the  L          re  are  said  to 

M  have  r:  It.  24         "Of  hi  :i  of  I. 

only,"  v..  u  make  mention,"  (Ps.  lxxL  16.)     "The  right  of 

1 "  is  said  b  W  and  upon  all  them  thai  believe         >m.  iii.  22.) 

The<e   p  -    fully  lisfa    the    doctrine    of  the   imputation    of  the 

a  the  ground  of  the  believer's  justification  b<  fore 
God.     As  Jehorab  re  justified  py  him,  it  must  be 

either  on  the  ground  of  our  own   righteousness,  or  that  of  bstitir 

(E-  iii.  7.)  That  m  justified  on  the  ground  of  our  own  righteous- 
nc  tossIv  denied,  (Rom.  iii.  19 — U  :  Gal.  ii.  1*):  iii.  10;  James  ii. 

10.)  Hence  it  follows  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  only  ground 
of  our  justification. 

Some  affirm  that  the  believer  is  justified  on  the  ground  of  his  faith 
Thi*,  however,  is  to  pervert  the  office  of  faith  in  the  justification  of  the 
soul,  which  is  simply  as  an  instrument  to  "  receive  the  gift  of  righteous- 
ness," (Rom.  v.  17.)  or  Christ  as  '-the  Lord  our  righteousness,"  (John  i. 
12:  Rom.  xiii.  14:  Heb.  vi.  18.)  Faith,  though  the  gift  of  God.  (Eph.  ii. 
8,)  and  a  grace  of  the  Spirit  (Gal.  v.  22.)  is  nevertheless  the  act  of  the 
believer,  in  which  he  performs  a  duty  required  by  God,  (1  John  iii.  23; 
John  xiv.  1  :  John  vi.  29.)  If,  then,  he  is  pardoned  and  accepted  by  God 
on  the  ground  of  his  faith,  his  justification  is  of  works,  which  the  Sciip- 
tu:  v  deny,  (Rom.  iii.  20;  iv.  C  :  ix.  11  :  xi.  6.)      Again,  the  fad 

of  the  sinner's  justification  By  faith  is  referred  to  as  evincing  his  justifi- 
cation to  be  by  grace,  (Rom.  iv.  10;  Eph.  ii.  8.  9.)  It  would,  however, 
evidently  fail  to  evince  th*i3  if  he  were  justified  on  ace  I  of  hit  faith,  and 
not  simply  by  faith,  as  an  instrument.  To  affirm  that  God  accepts  of  our 
faith  as  :  righteousi  r  the  sake  of  Christ,  does  not  in  the 

least  change  the  f  the  doctrine,  or  render  it  leas  subversive  of  the 

grace  of  Christ  in  I  lvation  of  the  sinner. 

W«  therefore  testify  against  the  following  sentiments  that  have  b» 
maintained  by  some,  the  ol  of  whose  faith  is  the  Westminster  Con- 

— That  under  the   gospel,  sinners   SW  not  justified  by  having  the 
obedien  account — that  Chri 

all  hi  law  for  himself — that  faith  is  itself  a  lighten 

ness,  an  lition  liner's  justification  before  God — 

that  the  .  "right*  of  G-  [neatly  occurring  in 

tb  s,  never  I  |  the  ground   of  I  t>ut 

O:  .od  of  ju 


18  TESTIMONY   OF    THE 


ARTICLE    VII. OF    THE    GOSPEL   OFFER. 

DECLARATION. 

We  declare,  That  the  gospel,  taken  in  its  strict  and  proper 
sense,  as  distinguished  from  the  law,  is  a  revelation  of  grace  to 
sinners  as  such;  and  that  it  contains  a  free  and  unconditional 
offer  and  grant  of  salvation  through  Christ,  to  all  who  hear  it, 
whatever  may  be  their  character  or  condition. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

The  doctrine  here  stated  accords  with  the  Confession  of  Faith,  chap, 
x.,  and  Shorter  Catechism,  Quest.  31. 

When  we  speak  of  the  gospel,  in  its  strict  and  proper  sense,  as  distin- 
guished from  the  law,  we  understand  it  simply  as  a  proclamation  of  good 
news,  which  is  the  literal  import  of  the  word,  (Luke  ii.  10  ;   1  Cor.  xv.  1, 
2 ;  Rom.  xi.  28.)     Although,  as  such,  it  comes  to  all  who  hear  it  with 
divine  authority,  and  binds  them  to  receive  and  improve  it,  (Heb.  ii.  1 — 
3  ;)  yet  it  is  a  revelation  of  grace  to  sinners,  containing  neither  precepts 
nor  sanctions,  (Rom.  vi.  14;  Acts  xx.  32 ;  2  Cor.  vi.  1.)     In  this  gospel 
there  is  a  free,  unconditional,  and  unlimited  offer  of  Christ,  and  salvation 
in  him,  to  man  as  guilty  and  depraved.     That  there  is  an  offer  of  these  in 
the  gospel  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  they  are  received  by  man,  which 
they  could  not  be  if  they  were  not  given,  (Col.  ii.  6 ;  John  i.  12 ;  John  iii. 
27.)     That  this  offer  is  free  appears  from  the  fact  that  it  is  referred  to 
the  love  of  God,  (John  iii.  16.)     That  it  is  unconditional  appears  from  the 
guilt,  depravity,  and  helplessness  of  the  sinner,  (Rom.  v.  12,  16;   Ps.  xiv. 
Eph.  ii.  1.)     That  it  is  unlimited,  being  made  to  all  who  hear  it  without 
any  restriction,  appears  from  the  express  testimony  of  God's  word,  (Mark 
xvi.  15  ;  Isa.  lv.  1 — 3  ;  Prov.  viii.  4  ;  Isa.  xlvi.  12  ;  Rev.  iii.  18;   Rev.  xxii. 
17;  John  vi.  32,  37.)     If  the  offer  of  the  gospel  were  not  thus  made  to 
each    sinner  who  hears  it,  its    rejection  could  not  be,  as  it  is  declared 
to  be,  a  ground  of  condemnation,  (Prov.  i.  24;  John  iii   18,  36.)     Salva- 
tion is  thus  freely  offered   to   all,  not  because  Christ  died  for  all,  (which 
we  have  seen  to  be   contrary  to  the  Seriptures,)  but  because  there  is  in 
his  obedience  and  death  a   sufficiency    of  merit  for  the  salvation  of  all, 
(Isa.  xlii.  21,)  and  because  he  is  invested  by  the  Father  with  all  power, 
Matt,  xxviii.  18,  19.) 

The  doctrine  here  declared  and  vindicated,  is  opposed  to  the  idea  that 
salvation  is  to  be  offered  by  the  minister  of  the  gospel  to  none  but  sensi- 
ble, awakened,  or  penitent  sinners,  and  that  it  is  only  such  sinners  that 
are  warranted  to  come  to  Christ — and  that,  therefore,  sinners  are  in  the 
first  place  to  prepare  therm  elves  to  come  to  Christ,  by  trying  to  make 
themselves  sensible  of  their  need  of  him,  and  to  excite  in  their  hearts 


[JOTTED    PRESBTTEBIAN    CHURCH.  19 

for  hi  5  Br  is  not  onl; 

honor! c  ><i.  but  discouragh  inner,  ae  it 

■  work  without  strength,  Ives  him  no  asstu  when  h*' 

fficientlj  prepared  for  the  reception  of  » 
w  e,  then  solemnly  testify. 

ABTft  LK    VI1L— oi  >a\  ino    iahh. 

DJ.C  LA  R  ATI  ON. 

\Y,  dedan .  That  in  true  and  saying  faith  there  is  not  merely 

an  assent  of  the   mind  to   the    proposition    that    the  Lord   Jesus 
Christ  is   the  Saviour  of  sinners;   but  also   a   eordial   reception 

and  appropriation  of  him  by  the  sinner  as  hie  Saviour,  with  an 
acoompanyii  ;i  or  assurance  corresponding  to  the  de- 

li oi'  liis   faith,   that  lie  shall   he  saved   by  him; 
which  appropriation  and  persuasion  are  founded,  solely,  upon 

the  free,   and   unconditional,   and   unlimited    offer  of  Christ  and 

lvation  in  him,  which  God  makes  in  the  gospel  to  sinners  of 

mankind. 

Argum*  nt  <in<l  Illustration. 

This  declaration  we  make  in  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Confession 

.  '.:».  xiv.  sec.  2d. 

Faith,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term,  i3  a  belief  of  testimony. 
Human  faith  is  a  belief  of  human   testimony  ;  divine  faith  belief  of 

diviu  imony.     Now,  in   order  that   we   may  ascertain   what   is  the 

nature  of  that  faith  which  respects  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  we  must  inquire 
what  is  the  testimony  of  God  respecting  this  Saviour.  This  we  have 
seen  in  the  preceding  article  to  be.  that  he  has  made  in  the  gospel  a  free 
and  unconditional  offer  and  grant  of  Christ  to  u  inners.    This  is  the 

testimony  of  God,  (1  John  v.  10.)  and  also  of  Christ  himself,  (John  vi. 
32.)  This  bring  the  case,  the  believer  must,  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  con- 
temp,  arist  as  given  to  himself  in  particular.  He  sees  Christ  in  the 
gospc  le  of  God  unto  him  wis  lom,  righteous  .tion, 
and  redemption,  (1  Cor.  i.  30;)  and  thus  seeing  him  he  appropriates  him 
to  himself,  or  receives  him  as  his  I  -  iviour.  Ih  ith  is  expn  1 
I,  which    clearly   imply    this  direct  application    of  I          I    by  the 

.ievcr  to  himself.      It  is  called  the  receiving  of  Christ,  [Col.  ii.  0,] — 
:ist,  (Rom.  xiii.  14,) —  >f 

him,  (Heb.vi.lH,) — a  fa  Julia  This 

we  call  '•  riatioi  the  believer  v,  r  which  God  makl 

of1         t  to  him  as gi Ting  him  a  warrant  to  aim  as  hi    9      our.   That 

he  thus  views  him  is  implied  in  tl  rdl  which  expresi  this  exer- 

cise of  the  soul  (John  xx.  28 ;  Ps.  xviii.  1,2;  Ps.  xliii.  2 — 4 ;  Ps.  xvi.  2.) 


20  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 

We  have  declared,  that  in  this  appropriation  there  is,  according  to  the 
degree  and  strength  of  the  faith  exercised,  a  belief,  persuasion,  or  assur- 
ance, that  we  shall  be  saved.  When  the  soul  receives  Christ,  and  rests 
upon  him,  it  is  for  salvation.  This  salvation,  must,  therefore,  be  in  the 
mind,  as  a  result  to  be  realized.  Hence  faith  is  declared  to  be  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  (or  demonstration,)  of  things 
not  seen.  We  are  exhorted  to  draw  nigh  to  the  Holiest  of  All  in  "  the 
full  assurance  of  faith,"  (Heb.  x.  22.)  This  can  only  mean  that  assurance 
which  is  in  the  direct  act  of  faith ;  for,  the  reason  assigned  for  it  is  not 
the  work  of  God  in  the  heart,  but  the  fact  that  we  "have  a  High  Priest 
over  the  house  of  God,"  (verse  21.)  This  persuasion,  or  assurance,  is 
also  implied  in  those  passages  which  represent  faith  as  a  building  on 
Christ,  (Eph.  ii.  20,) — a  trusting  in  him,  (Eph.  i.  12,  13.) — a  resting  on 
him,  (Ps.  xxxvii.  7,) — a  leaning  on  him,  (Song  viii.  5.) 

The  assurance  of  which  we  have  spoken,  is  different  from  that  "as- 
surance of  grace  and  salvation,"  of  which  the  Confession  speaks,  (chap, 
xviii.,)  and  for  which  "  a  true  believer  may  wait  long,  and  conflict  with 
many  difficulties  before  he  be  a  partaker  of  it."  The  one  rests  upon  the 
testimony  of  God,  speaking  in  his  word ;  the  other,  upon  the  work  of 
God  in  the  heart.  The  one  may  exist  without  a  consciousness  or  sensible 
impression  of  its  existence ;  the  other,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case, 
cannot.  Nor  do  we  deny — but  on  the  contrary,  maintain — that  this  as- 
surance that  is  in  the  nature  of  faith  may  be  associated  with  doubts  re- 
specting the  testimony  of  God  to  us  in  the  gospel,  (Matt.  xiv.  31.) 

We  deem  it  a  matter  of  importance  that  the  doctrine  which  we  have 
exhibited  on  the  subject  of  faith  be  maintained  by  the  church,  as  it  can- 
not fail  to  encourage  the  sinner  to  close  with  the  offers  of  the  gospel  and 
thus  open  up  to  his  soul  a  source  of  true  and  permanent  peace.  If  he  must 
know  that  he  is  a  true  believer  before  he  can  warrantably  say — M  Surely 
in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength,"  where  is  "the  begin- 
ning" of  that  u  confidence"  which  he  is  to  hold  "  steadfast  unto  the  end?" 
We,  therefore,  solemnly  testify  against  all  those  who  give  such  an  ex- 
hibition of  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  offers,  and  promises 
of  the  gospel,  as  is  calculated  to  excite  a  doubt  in  the  mind  even  of  the 
chief  of  sinners,  that  he  has  a  perfect  warrant  for  an  assured  appropria- 
tion of  Christ,  and  of  all  the  blessings  of  the  new  covenant. 

ARTICLE     IX. OF    EVANGELICAL   REPENTANCE. 

DECLARATION. 

We  declare.  That  that  repentance  which  is  a  saving  grace,  is 
one  of  the  fruits  of  a  justifying  faith;  and,  of  course,  cannot 
be  regarded  as  a  ground  of  the  sinner's  pardon,  or  as  necessary 
to  qualify  him  for  coming  to  Christ. 


UXITKD    PRESBYTERIAN   CHUBCH.  21 


A  'if/  I U  n. 

The  doctriD6  here   pret  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  chap. 

xv. 

event  misnnd  we  would  distinctly  state  that 

nee  of  which  •  atial  part  of  that  "nolii        with- 

out  which  no  man  shall  see  the  I  (Lnke  xiii.  :   Acta  wii.  30.) 

[1  e  havt  I  it  to  be.  a  fruit  of  faith.     It  does  no! 

go  before  faith,  but  follows   after  it  as  an   immediate   effect     This  will 
appear  evident  if  we  consider  either  the  nature  of  these  t\\  s  of  the 

soul,  or  the  testimony  of  God's  word.  Whatever  may  be  the  nature  of 
the  repentance,  there  must  be.  in  the  very   nature  of  the   C  »ehef  in 

order  to  that  repentance.     A  ling  to  the  belief  so  will  the  repent  nice 

He  who  has  no   belief  in  the  law,  cannot   be  said,  in  any  B<  to 

r^per  lin:  for  "sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law,'*  (Rom.  iv. 

;   1  John  iii.  4  ;)  an  the  1.  the  knowledge  of  (Rom.  iii. 

:  vii.  7.)  There  must  then,  ne  ssarily,  be  a  legal  faith  in  order  to  a 
legal  repentance.  Now,  this  legal  repentance,  or  that  sorrow  for  sin 
which  arises  merely  from  a  view  of  the  requirements  and  sanctions  of  the 
divine  law,  may  and  does  precede  evangelical  faith.  The  siuner  must  see 
that  his  Bin  is  destroying  him  before  he  will  think  of  applying  to  the 
ur.  Faith  in  the  law  merely,  however,  is  not  saving.  Neither  is 
that  repen:  hich  flows  from  it.     Such  was  the  repentance  of 

Saul,  (1  Sam.  xv.  24,  30;  xxvi.  21,)  and  of  Judas,  (Matt,  xxvii.  3 — 5.) 
Such  is  i:the  sorrow  of  the  world,"  (2  Cor.  vii.  10.)  Saving  faith  has  a 
respect  to  a  Saviour  offered  in  the  gospel,  and  the  mercy  and  grace  of 
God  iu  making  this  offer;  and  there  is  the  same  nc  ry  connection  be- 

tween this  faith  and  that  repentance  which  i>  Bavin  there  is  between 

the  legal  faith  and  the  legal  repentance  of  which  we  hav  >ken. 

This  saving  repentance,  or  repentance  unto  life,  has  respect  to  a  God  in 
Christ  as  one  who  has  been  offended  by  our  sins.  The  sorrow  for  sin  ex- 
perienced bj  the  true  penitent,  springs  up  in  the  heart  as  an  immediate 
re-ult  of  tl  which  the  believing  soul  takes  of  sin  as  commit! 

against  the  God  of  grace,  revealing  and  making  over  to  us  Chri.-t  with 
all  his  saving  benefits.  It  is  therefore,  necessarily,  the  fruit  of  faith  ; 
and  as  dii:  from  n<e,  I         'he  faith  which  pro- 

duces it.  from  a  mere  legal  faith. 

Tl  ipture  libit  t:  ing  re;  in 

this  light,  as  raiting  the  following  passages: — 2 

xii.  10;  Jei  L  13,  19;   K/-k.  xxxvi.  i  :   Luke  xv.  20,  21. 

This  rati  riptural  view  of  repeataiu  ror  of  those 

who  Would  call  •  aner  to  repent  either  as  P  appeasing 

.e  wrath  of  God  against  him  for  his  sin,  or  as  qualifying  him  fur  the  re- 
c«  '  <'hri-  ii. 


22  TESTIMONY   OF    THE 


Against  such  an  exhibition  of  repentance  we  testify  as  dishonoring  to 
the  grace  of  God  and  to  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  as  tending  to  dis- 
couroge  the  sinner  from  making  an  immediate  application  to  Christ. 

ARTICLE  X. — or  the  believer's  deliverance  from  the 

LAW   AS    A    COVENANT. 
DECLARATION- 

We   declare.    That  although   the  moral  law  is   of  perpetual 

obligation,  and  consequently  does  and  ever  will  bind  the  believer 

as  a  rule  of  life,  yet,  as  a  covenant,  he  is  by  his  justification 

through  Christ,  completely  and  for  ever  set  free  from  it,  both  as 

to  its  commanding  and  condemning  power,  and   consequently 

not  required  to  yield  obedience  to  it  as  a  condition  of  life  and 

salvation. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

This  declaration  is  in  accordance  with  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap, 
xvi,  and  Larger  Catechism,  Ques.  97. 

We  have  said  that  the  moral  law  does,  and  ever  will  bind  the  believer 
as  a  rule  of  life.  That  this  is  the  case  appears  from  the  very  character 
of  the  law  as  "holy,  just  and  good,"  (Rom.  vii,  12,) — from  the  nature 
of  that  principle  which  is  said  to  fulfill  the  law,  namely,  love,  (Rom. 
xiii.  10.) — from  the  sovereignty  and  supremacy- of  God  as  Lawgiver, 
he  having  given  but  one  moral  law,  (Isa.  xxxiii.  22  ;  James  iv.  11,  12,) 
■ — from  the  preface  to  the  ten  commandments,  setting  forth  as  a  reason 
why  we  should  obey  the  law,  not  only  the  sovereignty  of  God,  but  also 
his  character  as  a  Redeemer,  which  reason,  in  the  case  of  the  believer, 
will  always  be  in  force,  (Ex.  xx.  1,  2,) — from  the  declared  end  of 
Christ's  death,  which  is  to  make  us  "zealous  of  good  works,"  (Tit.  ii. 
14,) — from  the  charge  of  God  to  his  people  to  "remember  the  law  of 
Moses,"  (Mai.  iv.  4.) — and  from  the  express  declaration  of  the  apostle 
that  we  are  "  not  without  law  to  God,  but  under  law  to  Christ,"  (1  Cor. 
ix.  21,) 

While,  however,  believers  are  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law,  and  to 
seek  after  perfect  conformity  to  it  as  a  rule  of  life,  it  is  nevertheless  a 
truth  clearly  taught  in  the  word  of  God  that  they  are  wholly,  and  for- 
ever delivered  from  it  as  a  covenant,  promising  life  in  case  of  obedi- 
ence, and  threatening  death  in  case  of  disobedience.  Believers  are  de- 
clared to  be  "delivered  from  the  law,"  (Rom.  vii.  6.) — "not  under  the 
law,  but  under  grace,"  (Rom.  vi.  14.) — "  dead  to  the  law," — (Rom.  vii. 
4  ;) — an  1  Christ,  in  whom  they  are  "  found,  not  having  their  own  right- 
eousness, which  is  of  the  law,"  is  declared  to  be  to  them  "  the  end  of 
the  law,"  (Phil.  iii.  9  :   Rom.  x.  4.)      The  apostle  expressly  declares  it 


UNITED   PK8BYT1KIAH   CHURCH,  23 

t     he  the  J » r  i  ■  of  b€  lial  th  i  tho  cur 

of  the  1  Gal.  iii.  13.)     Deliveraa       from  the  <•  .         >f  the  as 

a  covenant,  implies   deliveran  <nant :   : 

if  it  oomm  it  mat  mial  them  when 

they  tr;1  rnplete  fi  ;i  tho 

pr  •  of  tin-   law  M  I  aant.  further   apj 

from  th  that  I  retj,  made  under  thi<  law  in  tl. 

form.  in  the  n;unc  of  b  •■(! 

aalty,  (Gal.  it.  4, 5, ;  M  il.  iii.  1  Ti.  'ruth 

al~  from  all  th  which  represent  the  belieTer  as 

ju~  hteoni  ('J  C<>r.  t. SI;  B am.  v.  is.  l 

— asjnstifi  [thont  work  >m.  iii.  "J":   It.  »'■.)  And  as  by 

gr.  :n.  iii.  Tit.  iii.  7.) 

ch being  the  I  prifilege  o\  the  belierer,  bis  obedience  to  the 

law,  when  it  is  of  an  I  nature,  and  BUCh 

does  not  sprii  _  I  -  slaTi&h  tear  of  I         -  vindictive  wrath, or  a  ho 

of  lite  on  the  ground  of    hi  n  works.    (Luke  i.   74  :     1  John  iv.  I 

Rom.  viii.  15.) — but  from    faith    in   God   as   hi  .at    God  in 

Christ,  (Dent  x.  I  ;   1   Pet.  i.  17  :  Tit.  ii.  14.)      In   n  ing  th 

obedien  *  he  hi  i  rule  of  life,  the  gospel  presents  to  ns  the  m< 

powerful  <_  the  love  of  the  Father  in  sendii: 

Son  to  save  us,  (1   John  iv.  8,  9,) — the  love  oi  Christ  in  giving  his  life 
to  redeem   us,  (1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20,) — the  love  of  the  Spirit  in   applyj 
this  redemption,  (Eph.  iv.  30.) — and  the  hope  of  a  glorious  immortal: 
in  heaven,  (1  John  iii.  -  Matt.  v.  8  :   Heb.  xii.  14.) 

We  deem  it  a  matter  of  the  gr     test  importance  that  the  doctrine  of 
the  believer's  exemption  from  the  law  be  actly  get  forth,  as  it 

lief  is  nee-  to  a  life   of  holiness,  (Rom.  vii.  4;   Gal.  ii.  19,) — an 

to   the  performance  of  those  good   works  that  are  acceptable   to  God, 
(Eph.  i.  G:     1  Peter   ii.  .">.) — and   to    the  cultivation  and   enjoyment,  I 
believer,  of  a  true  and  b  lly  pe  R    m.  v.  1.  2.) 

ARTICLE    XI. — oi  tiik  work  of  thi  holt  bpieit. 

DBG L a  I  a  t iv 
We  declaret  That    the    Holy   Spirit,  the  third   person  of  the 
Trinity,  •!■  i  aoeompanying  the  word,  - 

act  upon  the  soul  as  to  qtricken,  regener  :y  it;  :\m\ 

that  without  this  direct  operation  the  boh!  would  have  no  abili- 
ty to  p<  Baying  manner,  the  truths  of  I  1.  <»r 
yield  to  the  m<        -  which  it  pn  lentfl 

-  ,,t  a !>, I   Illustration. 
The   statement   her  e  with  the  Confes  <»f 

hap.  j. 


24  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 

The  Scriptures  clearly  hold  forth  the  idea  that  the  Holy  Spirit  does, 
in  a  gracious  and  supernatural  way.  operate  upon  the  soul.  Such  an 
operation  is  implied  in  the  names  by  which  it  is  expressed.  It  is  called 
a  creation.  (Eph.  iv.  24,) — a  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  (Titus  iii.  5,) 
— an  opening  of  the  eyes,  (Ps.  cxix,  18,) — an  opening  of  the  understand- 
ing, (Luke  xxiv.  45,) — a  quickening,  (Eph.  ii.  1,) — the  giving  of  a  heart 
of  flesh,  [Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,] — a  circumcising  of  the  heart  to  love  the 
Lord,  [Deut.  xxx.  6.]  These  expressions  clearly  intimate  a  direct  and 
supernatural  operation  of  Divine  power  upon  the  soul.  The  necessity 
of  such  an  operation,  appeals  from  the  condition  of  the  sinner  as  ex- 
hibited in  the  word  of  God.  He  is  represented  as  dead  in  sins,  [Eph. 
ii.  1,] — as  blind,  [Luke  iv.  18  ;  Rev.  iii.  17 ;  Eph.  iv.  18.]  In  accord- 
ance with  all  this,  God  is  represented  as  working  in  the  soul,  [Eph.  iii. 
20  ;  Phil.  ii.  13;  Col.  i.  29  ;  1  Thess.  ii.  13  ;  Eph.  ii.  10.] 

This  doctrine  stands  opposed  to  the  idea  that  the  regeneration  and 
salification  of  the  soul  are  the  result  of  mere  moral  suasion,  or  the 
bare  presentation  of  truth  to  the  mind.  Such  is  the  natural  condition 
of  the  sinner,  that  without  the  direct  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
on  his  soul,  the  doctrines,  precepts,  invitations  and  warnings  that  are 
contained  in  the  word,  must  necessarily  be  ineffectual.  He  is  blind, 
and  must  therefore  have  his  eyes  opened  that  he  may  see :  he  is  dead, 
and  must  therefore  be  quickened,  in  order  that  he  may  hear.  The 
apostle  expressly  tells  us,  [1  Cor.  ii.  14,]  that  the  natural  man  cannot 
know  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned. David  prays  [Ps.  cxix.  18,]  to  God  to  open  his  eyes,  that  he 
might  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  his  law.  The  apostle  prays  [Eph.  i. 
17,  18,]  that  God  would  give  those  to  whom  he  wrote  the  Spirit  of  wis- 
dom and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  the  eyes  of  their  under- 
standing being  enlightened,  thai  they  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  hit 
calling.  The  Saviour,  we  are  told,  [Luke  xxiv.  45,]  opened  the  under- 
standing of  the  disciples,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures.  The 
Lord  opened  the  heart  of  Lydia,  that  she  attended  to  the  things  that  were 
spoken  of  Paul,  [Acts  xvi.  14.]  Paul  says — "I  have  planted,  Apollos 
watered,  but  God  gave  the  increase"  [1  Cor.  iii.  6 — 9.]  These  passages 
clearly  show  that  there  is  an  operation  of  Divine  power,  distinct  from 
that  of  the  word,  and  by  which  alone  the  word  is  rendered  efficacious; 
yet,  though  this  operation  is  distinct  from  the  word,  it  is  not  ordinarily 
without  the  word,  [1  Pet.  i.  23;  Rom.  x.  13—17;  1  Cor.  iv.  15;  2 
Thess.  ii.  13.]  The  word  is  the  light  and  food  of  the  soul,  [Ps.  cxix. 
103,  105.]  The  Spirit  of  God,  in  thus  operating  upon  the  soul  as  a 
Spirit  of  light  and  truth,  does  not  impart  any  new  faculties  to  the  soul, 
but  quickens  and  brings  into  exercise,  and  sanctifies  those  which  the 
sinner  already  possesses.     Nor  is  there  any  violence  done  to  the  soul : 


UNITED   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH.  25 

the  sinr..  in  vi.  in  tin-  of 

ition  of  iv  principle  of 
itend, 

All'  !  I. — or  the  in       -up  or  CHRIST. 

D  I  A  T I  0  N' . 

W  bat  our  I  t<1  Jesus  Christ,  besides  the  domin- 

•i  wl  icli  bel(  him  a     G  3  our  God-man  Media- 

dominion,  with  which  he  ha         ninv(         by  the 
an]  of  his  Buff  Th<  -minion 

er  the  church,  of  which  he  is  the  Hvk  land  rd 

tL  )t  all  that  Divine  influence  and  authority   by  which 

she  is  ined  and  governed  j  and  dominion  ovei  all 

created  persona  and  things,  whi  ezerc         by  him  in  sub- 

to  the  manifeetati  od's  g         in  the  m  ot 

redemption,  and  the  interests  of  his  church. 

Argitmnit  and  I  /lustration. 

The  dor*  Christ1  hip.  a?  above  exhibit*  in  accord- 

ance with  tli  ip.  ii.,  sec.  1. 

Th  vmentwe  have  made  on  this  important  subject  affirms  Chr 

to  havt  >r,  a  dominion  over  his  church.  we  have 

timony  of  the  Divine  word.     He  himself  calls  thechur 
hit  kingdom,   (John  xviii.  36.)      God,  the  Father,  in  speaking  of  him 
.   (Ps.  ii.  flf;j — "I  have  set  my  king  npon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion.' 
Tl.  nnouncedhis  birth  declared  that  he  should  "reign  over 

the  house  of  .:  ike  i.  33.)     The  prophet  Isaiah  (Is*,  ix. 

)  dec'  t  "the  rnment  shall  1 .-  shoulder;"  and 

P  of  hi-  S  "  (Heb.  iii.  6.)     It 

for  the  pr  ation 

nn  n  of  his  church.      In  order  to  this  he  communicates 

nee  h<  B   ad  of  the  church,  (fiph. 

and  the  chnr  be  his  body,  (Eph.  v.  23,)   plainly  implying 

th  d  from   Him,   (John  xvi. 

.)      Th  i  appoint    officers    and  institute   laws  i 

or  IT i -  t  -ig 

• 

B — 13  :    John  1.)      It  Is,  th  trefon 

an  unw  mpti< 

tl  "     d  of  his  church. 


26  TESTIMONY    OF   THE 


for  any  man,  or  any  body  of  men,  either  in  the  church  or  state,  to  exer- 
cise or  claim  a  legislative  power  in  relation  to  the  doctrine,  govern- 
ment, worship  and  discipline  of  the  church,  (Matt.  xv.  9  ;  Isa,  viii.  20.) 
We  have  also,  in  the  above  declaration,  ascribed  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  a  dominion  over  all  created  persons  and  things.  The  testimony 
of  Scripture  in  proof  of  this,  is  equally  direct  and  explicit.  All  pow- 
er is  given  unto  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  (Matt,  xxviii.  18.)  God 
has  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name,  (Phil.  ii.  9.)  He 
has  set  him,  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  namedr 
not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come  ;  and  hath  put 
all  things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  Head  over  all  things^ 
(Eph.  i*  20 — 22..),  He  has  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his  feet, 
and  left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him,  (Heb.  ii.  8.)  He  has  given 
him  power  over  all  flesh,  (John  xvii,  2.)  Jesus  has  the  keys  of  hell 
and  death,  (Rev.  i,  18.)  These  passages  clearly  hold  forth  the  idea 
that  Christ,  as  Mediator,  possesses  universal  power. 

This  dominion  over  all    persons  and  things,  we  have  declared  to  be 
exercised  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Chirst,  in  subserviency  to  the   manifesta- 
tion of  God's  glory  in  the  system   of  redemption,  and  the  interests  of 
his  church.      This  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence  from  the  fact 
that  this  power  has  been  delegated  to  him  as  Mediator  ;  for  the  distinct 
and  formal  end  of   the  mediatorial   office  is  the    manifestation  of   the 
glory  of  God  as  the   God  of  grace,  and,   in  subordination  to  this,  the 
salvation  of  an  elect  world.      Hence  our  Lord  is  said  to  be  Head  over 
all  things  to  the  church,  (Eph.  i,  22,) — to  have  power  over  all  flesh,  that 
he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  gave  him,  (John  xvii.  2  ;) 
and  all  things,  we  are  assured,  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  kve 
God,  (Rom.  viii.  28.)      The  subsidiary  character  of  this  dominion  of 
Christ  over  all  persons  and  things,  is  also  clearly  taught  in  the  vision  of 
the  wheels  seen  by  Ezekiel,  (Ezek.  i.  19,  20.)     Accordingly,  we  find  our 
Lord,  as  Mediator  and  Redeemer  of  his  people,  overthrowing  nations 
to  make  way  for  his  church,  (Hag.  ii.  7  ;  Heb.  xii.  26,  27  :  Dan.  ii.  44,) 
— raising  up  rulers  that  knew  him   not,  to  deliver  his  people   from  op- 
pression, (Isa.  xlv.  13,) — employing  wicked  men  to  correct  them,  (Isa. 
x.  7,) — and  punishing  these  wicked  men  for  their  malignant  opposition 
to  them,  (Isa.  Ii.  22,  23;    Isa.  xxxiv.  2,  8;    Dan.  vii.  26,  27;    Isa.  lxiii. 
1 — f3) — casting  the  ungodly  into  hell,  (2  Thess.  i.  6 — 9,) — exercising  a 
Control  over  Satan,  the  god  of  this  world,  (Luke  x.  18  ;    John  xii.  31  ; 
Rev.  xx.  7,  10;    Mark  xvi.   17,   18,) — and  employing  even  the   inferior 
parts  of  creation  as  instruments  of  good  to  his  people,  and  of  evil  to 
their  enemies,  (Ex.  viii.  9,  10  ;  Ps.  cxlviii.  8.) 

Such  beiDg  the  universal  dominion  of  our  Lord  as  Mediator,  it  follows 


TOD    PRB8B         LIAN   0H1  RCH,  2*3 


it  all  Ln1  i  n    tbil  ehar- 

y  mi  all  their 
The  upon  to  do 

(Heb.  i.  ■  .in.  (Phil.  ii.  iii.  IT.) 

[sa,  It.  I  _'  ii. 

\Y  vil 

nr 
.  trulj  i.)  "n 

il  authority,  nor  free  the  people  from  their  du<  him." 

r« 
ich  upon  tfa  r- 

of  the  church  as  a  distinct  at   kingdom.  ivil 

08 
uthurity  <>t'  Chrisl  in  t  nuaii 

.■■•■■ 

W(  b  matter  of  importance  that  I 

1    in  relation  t     I                 >hi}>  of  our  Lord    ai        9  .our  Jesus 

b full j  maintained,  and  distinctly  exhibited  b;  urchj 
a  important 

the  ehureh,  and  the  H  en  duly 

hear  f  the 

.    ■                                       upon  tli                   ite  them  •  a  to  his 

For  til         -   ad  of                                       »ut  the  world. 

!LE    X  I  I  I  --  REM  'V. 

II"'  .     That  the  law  <»i"  (  |  ttpOP    the    hi 

forth  in  the  Scriptun  Old  and  New 

in    i'         ithoril  >d 

that  where  the  commands  of  tli-'  church  or  b<         re  in  i 

ainal  '  this  1, 

in; 

Tl  rdance  with  t  Bee* 

Tt 
nnc-  with  the  j'rin 

■ 

in   t!. 

^  ID- 
ll     riti(  on 


28  TESTIMONY    OP   THE 


in  the  word  of  God,  (Rom.  xiii.  1—7;    Tit.   iii.  1;    1   Pet.  ii.    13; 
h.  eb.  xiii.  17.)  and  it  is  no  doubt,  therefore,  a  principle  of  the  Bible,  as 
well  as  of  our  Confession  of  Faith,  that  -they  who,  upon   pretence  of 
Christian  liberty,  shall  oppose  any  lawful  power,  or  the  lawful  exercise 
of  it,  whether  it  be  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  resist  the  ordinance  of  God," 
(Confession  of  Faith,  chap,  xx.,  sec.  4.)  yet  the  power  must  be  "law- 
ful;" and  the  "exercise,5'  even  of  that  power,  must  be  "lawful"  to  make 
resistance  to   it  to  amount  to  a  resistance  of  the  ordinance  of   God. 
When,  therefore,  either  the  church  or  state  passes  laws  requiring  us  to 
do  what  the  law  of  God  forbids  us  to  do,  obedience  to  such  laws  would 
be  resistance  to  Him  who  is  the  source  (Rom.  xiii.  1,)  of  all  authority. 
Authority  exercised  in  opposition  to  the  law  of  God,  is  so  far  null  and 
Toid,  and  cannot  bind  the  conscience.      Open  and  violent  resistance 
may  not  be  a  duty;   for  it  is  sometimes  the  duty  of  Christians  to  take 
wrong,  and  submit  to  oppression,  (Matt.  v.  3'J  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  7  ;  1  Pet.  ii. 
18.)      Yet  where  human  authority  requires   us  to  do  what  the  law  of 
God  forbids,  or  forbids  us  to  do  what  the  law  of  God  requires,  it  is  in 
that  particular  instance  to  be  disregarded  by  us,  let  the  consequences 
be  what  they  may.      Upon  this  principle  Daniel  acted  with  divine  ap- 
probation.    A  '-royal  statute"  was  enacted,  forbidding  a  petition  to  be 
asked  of  any  god  or  man,  save  the  king,  for  thirty  days.     This  statute 
Daniel   violated,  (Dan.  vi.    7 — 10.)        Upon  this    principle,    also,    did 
Shadrach,  Meshach,  and   Abednego  act,  in  refusing,  at  the  command 

the  king,  to  worship  the  image  which  had  been  set  up,  (Danl.  iii. 
18.)  Upon  this  principle,  also,  did  the  apostles  act  when  commanded 
that  they  should  not  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  affirming  that  they 
ought  to  "obey  God  rather  than  man,"  (Acts  v.  29.)  Those,  therefore, 
who  plead  the  statutes  of  man  as  a  justification  for  the  doing  of  what 
the  word  of  God  forbids,  are  guilty  of  exalting  human  laws  above  the 
divine  law.  Those  who  pass  unrighteous  decrees  expose  themselves 
to  the  displeasure  of  that  God  who  "has  prepared  his  throne  in  the 
heavens,"  and  whose  "kingdom  ruleth  over  all,"  (Ps.  ciii.  19;  Isa.  x. 
1,  2  ;)  and  those  who  carry  out  these  decrees,  "have  fellowship  with 
the  throne  of  iniquity,"  (Ps.  xciv.  20.) 

We  therefore  solemnly  testify  against  those  who  will  plead  the  law 
of  the  land  or  of  the  church  as  a  reason  for  doing  what  the  law  of  God 
forbids,  and  against  those  who  do  not  oppose  those  sins  that  have  re- 
ceived the  sanction  of  law. 

ARTICLE   XIV. — of  slayeholding. 

DECLARATION. 

We  declare,  That  slayeholding — that  is,  the  holding  of  unof- 
fending human  beings  in  involuntary  bondage,  and  considering 


.LAX    CHURCH.  29 


so 

irit  of  (  lit). 

This  ration  is  in  accoi  a  of  Faith,  chap, 

iv. 

Th  notation  of  the 

Law  of  God,  w  ill  ir  from  the  following 

1.   The  •  whole  human  family  :i>  po 

Ti  I  m:m 

1  ill n  >f  the  human  family.     He  is  a  child 

of  A  .vho  was  in  ae  im  the  liki  of  God, 

(Gen.  i,  l').)      Qe  is  oi  •  blood"  with  him  who   holds  him  in  bon 

ag<  This  being  the  ease,  his  natural    ri  be 

th  s  those  of  any  other.     If  man  po^-  .  by  the  Law  of  his 

creatioi.  natural  ana  inalic:  _ht.  that  right  must  be  incon- 

sistent with  the  condition  of  a  person  who  is  considered  and  treated 
as  property,  subject  to  be  bought  and  sold.     Slaveholding,  then,  is  at 

ir  with  humanity 

The  word  of  God,  in  the  grant  of  dominion  which  it  makes,  re- 
strains the  power  of  man  thus  to  treat  his  fellow-man.  He  has,  by 
the  authority  of  God  his  Creator,  dominion  over  all  the  lower  ere  - 
tures,  (Gen.  i.  26.)     The  pi  ;on  of  such  a  dominion  by  a  person, 

in  ry  nature,  inconsistent  with  his  condition  as  a  slave — a  person 

who  is  himself  considered  and  treated  as  property.  While,  therefore, 
he  is  held  in  this  condition,  the  grant  of  his  Creator  is  rendered  a  nul- 
lity. Noru  this  all:  while  this  grant  of  dominion  secures  to  the  slave 
his  right  to  liberty,  it  interdicts,  by  the   el<  implication,  th 

sumption  of  that  right  which    the  slaveholder  claim  The  grant  of 

his  Creator  gj  .im  domini.  r  the  lower  creatures.      There  he  may 

make  his  propel  'thus  far  his   dominion  as  owner  extends,  but  no 

farth  ,  how  sumes  this  power.      It  reduces   to  the 

condition  of  property,  him,  who   by  divine  right  is  lord  of  all.      (1 

vi:  . 

3.  The  I  f  God  recognises  the  i  f  all  men  to  use  the  pow< 

of  b  aich  their  C  a,  in  the  pursuit 

of  hi  hour  with  .  r  to  their  support, 

ii.  23;  1  Th         r.  11;  i  Thee*,  iii.  10—12.)    B  irhile 

loom  .  D  the  fruits  of  ti.  il, 

ai.  «  him  who  has  not  performed  th  r.     It  thus 

aich  tor   1. 

gi  to  him  a  right  to  r  file  ftlave,  being 


30  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


himself  the  property  of  another,  can  own  nothing,  and  of  course  can 
acquire  nothing. 

4.  The  law  of  God  enjoins  it  upon  masters  to  give  to  their  servants 
"that  which  is  just  and  equal,"  (Col.  iv.  1.)  The  slaveholder  gives 
nothing  to  his  slave,  as  a  right  acquired  by  labor.  "What  he  gives  as  a 
slaveholder,  has  a  reference  merely  to  the  support  of  his  slave,  that  he 
may  thereby  be  qualified  to  labor.  The  fruits  of  that  labor  he  ap- 
propriates to  himself.  He  therefore  violates  the  law  of  justice  enjoin- 
ed upon  the  master,  and  exposes  himself  to  the  wo  pronounced  against 
him  who  "useth  his  neighbor's  services  without  wages,  and  giveth  him 
not  for  his  work ,"  (Jer.  xxii.  13.)  Neither  does  he  give  his  servant  that 
which  is  "equal."  There  is  no  proportion  between  the  labor  perform- 
ed by  the  slave  and  what  he  receives  from  his  master.  The  slave  may 
be  hired  out  to  another,  by  whom  he  is  fed  and  clothed  ;  but  the  owner 
of  the  slave  receives  from  the  man  to  whom  he  is  hired,  the  wages. 
Nor  is  there  any  proportion  between  what  the  slave  receives  and  what 
another  receives  who  performs  the  same  amount  of  work.  He  there- 
fore violates  the  principle  of  equality,  which  he  is  bound  by  the  law  of 
God  to  observe. 

5.  The  law  of  God  recognises  marriage  as  the  right  of  all,  (Heb.  xiii, 
4.)  It  requires  the  parties  to  dwell  together,  (1  Pet.  iii.  7,)  and  makes 
the  relation  indissoluble  by  man,  (Gen.  ii.  24;  Matt.  xix.  6.)  But  the 
right  which  the  slaveholder  claims  to  his  slave  as  his  property,  subject 
to  be  bought  and  sold,  is  in  direct  conflict  with  these  divine  requisi- 
tions. He  may,  by  the  exercise  of  his  right  as  a  slaveholder,  forbid 
his  marriage,  or  place  him  in  circumstances  in  which  he  cannot  enjoy 
this  divine  right ;  or,  if  married,  he  may,  at  will,  entirely  and  forever 
separate  the  parties.  The  laws  which  govern  and  control  property 
imply  all  this. 

6.  The  law  of  God  requires  parents  to  bring  up  their  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  (Eph.  vi.  4.)  The  slaveholder,  in 
virtue  of  the  relation  which  he  sustains,  and  by  the  right  of  ownership 
which  he  claims,  may  not  only  interfere  with  the  government  of  the 
parent  over  his  children,  but  entirely  and  forever  separate  them  from 
each  other. 

1.  The  law  of  God  requires  every  man  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
(John  v.  39.)  The  right  of  the  slaveholder  interferes  with  this.  The 
laws  which  govern  all  property  necessarily  secure  to  him  the  right  of 
prohibiting  his  slave  from  doing  any  thing  which  may  operate  against 
the  attainment  of  the  end  for  which  this  species  of  property,  in  com- 
mon with  all  others,  is  held — his  own  gain. 

8.  The  law  of  God  forbids  man-stealing,  (Deut.  xxiv.  7  ;  1  Tim.  i.  9, 
10.)     In  this  the  alleged  right  of  one  man  to  make  merchandise  of  his 


u*ir.-/>   !•  :'\\  cnimeu. 


fellow-man.  most   hare  «.ri.  a.fl   the  fount  ortnpt 

not  be  pure 

ba^  >d. 

We  hi  1  it  t'  irit 

of  Christianity.     Wli  ristianity?     B  ;— 

vll  th  should  d 

M  lit.  vii.  1  -  who   would 

not  r  and  who  would  nod  an  in  le 

conviction  tl;  g  had  been  done  him.     This  being  ti  he 

bound,  I  ■  of  th  tr  to  I  okeaod 

lei  th  vii.  21  ;  lea.  lviii.  O.j     And  wh  :ie 

I  hristi  inity  re    .  !:  I ;   1  John  iv.  2 

21:  Lufc  rer,  the  i 

(he  may  be  a  br  in  Christ.)  to  the  condition  of  a  piece  of  pr< 

tw  liable  to  be  b    .  _'.;  and  in  fiol  ition  of   thu   ho\j  and  divine 

principle?     Who,  that  isac  imp  a]  l        itiaa'j 

heart,  will  deny  it  ? 

We  b  n  e,  therefore,  in  the  Law  of  God,  and   iu  the  letter  and 
of  Christianity,  abundant  real  Iding 

as  a  sin,  and   c  uently  a   disqualification   for  membership  in  the 

Church  of  Chru         It  is  the  relation  itself,  which  we  have   examined 
in  the   light  of   Scripture,   tnd   which  We  b  -  I      o  incon- 

sistent   with    it;    and  not    the    many    cruel   Lfl  I       lacken    the 

statute-books  of    '  £   States,  and    the  many  gross  and 

irful  evils,  thai  It    from    th  »u.       A   consideration,   ho 

ever,  of  these  laws  and  etils   which  e         i  -til 

to  impress  the  mind  with   a  sense  of  the    inherent  wickedness   of  thp 
:n. 

I  &TIOLE    XV  —  BT  fi  ttlBTIKJ 

DECLARATION 

W  .  Thu  all  as  5,  wh  rorraei  forpolil 

al  or  benevolent  purposes,  which  in  ipoo  tubers  an 

oath  of  aeoreoj  a  on  le  of  unknown 

law-   ar    inc  with  the  w  ao         irit  of  Christiani- 

■  h  m"ubers  Ought  i  fellowship  with  such 

associations. 

Ar</um   nt  a  %d  IU  n. 

T:  liaac  ace  with  th  a  of  Y  ip. 

iking  the  above  De  ion,  i:  i  \h  it  kl  ire 

■  aoy  things  vitb  vbicb    an  individual   bee  acquainted  which  it 


32  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


would  be  improper  for  him  to  reveal,  (Prov.  si.  13;  xx.  19.)  The  same 
thing,  also,  may  be  affirmed  in  relation  to  associations.  It  is  not,  there- 
fore, the  fact  of  secrecy,  simply  considered,  that  we  condemn.  What, 
then,  is  it?  It  is  the  fact  of  a  person  giving  an  oath  or  promise  that 
he  will  not  make  known  to  others  matters  which  are  to  be  subsequent- 
ly communicated  to  him,  or  that  he  will  obey  a  code  of  laws  with  which 
he  is  not  made  acquainted  until  after  the  oath  or  promise  be  given  by 
him.  This  we  believe  to  be  wrong  under  all  circumstances  ;  and  all 
associations  founded  on  this  principle  are  to  be  condemned,  whatever 
be  the  object  for  which  they  are  formed. 

1.  Such  an  obligation  is  inconsistent  with  our  subjection  to  the  law 
of  God.  This  law  is  the  supreme  standard.  We  are  always  to  obey  it, 
(Gal.  iii.  10;  Isaiah  viii.  20;  Acts  iv.  19.)  When,  therefore,  we  come 
under  an  oath  or  promise  to  keep  the  transactions  of  a  society  of  men 
concealed,  we  know  not  but  that  the  law  of  God  may  require  us 
to  reveal  them.  When  we  bind  ourselves  to  support  the  principles  of 
a  society  with  which  we  have  not  been  made  acquainted,  we  know  not 
but  that  the  law  of  God  may  bind  us  to  oppose  them.  When  we  pledge 
ourselves  to  obey  a  system  of  laws,  of  which  we  are  ignorant,  we  know 
not  but  that  they  may  be  in  conflict  with  the  law  of  God.  We  are, 
therefore,  giving  promises,  obligations  and  pledges  to  do  that  which, 
for  aught  we  know,  may  involve  us  in  sin.  These,  under  such  circum- 
stances, cannot  be  given  "in  judgment,"  as  required  by  the  command 
of  God,  (Jer.  iv.  2.) 

2.  Such  an  obligation  is  ensnaring  and  enslaving  to  the  conscience. 
God  alone  is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  (Jas.  iv.  12  ;  Rom.  xiv.  4  ;  Matt,  x, 
28.)  To  bring  ourselves,  however,  under  an  obligation  to  obey  a  code 
of  unknown  laws,  is,  in  the  very  act,  whatever  may  be  the  character  of 
these  laws,  doing  violence  to  the  freedom  of  conscience.  It  is  making 
ourselves  the  "servants  of  men,"  (1  Cor.  vii.  23.) 

3.  Such  an  obligation  is  not  only  not  countenanced  by  the  example 
of  the  saints  in  Scripture,  but  is  inconsistent  with  it.  When  Abra- 
ham directed  his  servant  to  swear  to  him,  although  he  informed  him 
of  the  matter  of  the  oath,  yet  his  servant  did  not  swear  until  he  first 
understood  what  he  would  be  required  by  his  oath,  under  certain  cir- 
cumstances to  do.  This  was  made  known  to  him  by  Abraham,  (Gen. 
xxiv.  2 — 9.)     See,  also,  the  case  of  David  and  Jonathan,  (1  Sam.  xx.) 

We  deem  the  foregoing  considerations  in  point,  whether  the  pledge  given 
be  a  promise  or  oath,  for  the  principles  to  which  we  have  referred  are 
equally  applicable  to  both.  When,  however,  an  oath  is  given,  the  person 
swearing,  under  such  circumstances,  involves  himself  in  the  additional 
guilt  of  profaning  the  name  of  God,  and  does  not,  as  our  Confession 
properly  requires,  take  an  oath  when  imposed  "by  lawful  authority,"  nor 


(JOTTED   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH.  33 


" ..  ich  nothing 

miIi."  lo  bo 

1  h  tl.  aring  vainly  or  — 

:i.) 

In  addition  to  thi  while  \vc  would  not  deny  tin-  right 

of  iations  to  withhold  some  of  their  transactions   from  the  public, 

when  it  may  be  deemed  advisable  at  the  tin 

I  liable  to  objections   of  a  ?<  rious   (bar.     - 

h  'objection  w  them  to  ledared  them  to 

.  InoOl  with  the  genius  and  spirit  uistiani; 

1.  The  Founder  of  Christianit;  upon  this  principle.     He 

could  appeal  to  his  cnci.  j — "I  spake  openly  to  the  world:  I 

t  in  t  .nd  in  the  temple,  whither  the  J'  Iwajl 

nd  in  John  xviii.  20.)     He   is  a  light 

tha  (John  i.  9.) 

.  not  act  upon  this  principle.     They  "renounced  the 
hidden  thing         lisho;  ad  " commended  themselves  to  every  i 

CO]  bj  the;  ..nd  had  their  u  conversation 

in  the  world  in  i  <j  nine  -  •  i  r.  iv.  2  ;  2  Cor.  i.  12.) 

3.  The  disciples  of  Christ  are  forbidden  to  act  upon  this  principle. 
Tl.  Ight  of  the  i  orld,''  and  are  commanded  to  let  their  (;  light 

shine  Ltfore  men,''  (Matt.  v.  14 — 16,)  and  to  k,have  no  fdlowskip  with  the 
unfruitful  works  of  dark;  ^Eph.  v.  11.) 

This  principle  ted  as  a  favorite  principle  with  the  wick 

Their  rks"  are  said  to  be   "in  the  dark,''    (Isa.  >:xix.  15;)   and  are 

called  the  "works  of  darkrr  (Eph.  v.  11  ;)  and  uthey  love  darkne-  , 

because  their  deeds  are  evil,''  (John  iii.  19.) 

5.  The  fellowship  of  professing  Christians  with  such  societies,  where 
the  members  are  bound  together  by  covenants  of  love  and  friendship,  and 
constitute  a  distinct  and  separate  hi  's  inconsistent  with  that 

principle  (  :ion  from  the  world  which  is  so  re,  lly  and  ex- 

plicitly enj  in  the  word  of  God — we  ration  from 

the  world;   for  t         tandard  of  their  faith   and  tly  and 

I  to  the  world,  (Ex.  xxiii.  xxxiv.  12,  r. 

ft  14 — 18;   Pa.  cvi.  35;   Pa.  \.  I.) 

The:  learly  in  our  comb  ion  of 

secret  ined  by  the  word  of  God. 

\V<  said  nothing  of  t  ion  of  the   place  of  the  church- 

the  Chri  r  of  tl  i  »f  worship  in  use — of  the  profane  use 

that  i  four:'  f  the  selfish  and  e 

tir  of   their  I   the  of  truth,   in 

wl  in  vol'. 

t — of  their  injuriou  .  civil  ana  political  relations  of 


34  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 

life,  and  of  the  unhappy  influence  which  they  have  in  drawing  persons 
away  from  the  duties  of  the  family  and  the  sanctuary, — all  of  which  in 
relation  to  some  of  the  principal  of  these  associations,  are  made  manifest 
by  their  published  writings,  and  by  the  workings  of  the  system* in  the 
community, — of  these  things  we  have  said  nothing,  because  there  may 
be  some  secret  associations  upon  which  all  these  things  are  not  charge- 
able, and  because  we  think  the  considerations  presented  by  us  are  suffi- 
cient to  show  that  the  church  should  solemnly  testify  against  them. 

ARTICLE  XVI.— of  communion. 

DECLARATION. 

We  declare,  That  the  church  should  not  extend  communion, 
in  sealing  ordinances,  to  those  who  refuse  adherence  to  her  pro- 
fession, or  subjection  to  her  government  and  discipline,  or  who 
refuse  to  forsake  a  communion  which  is  inconsistent  with  the 
profession  that  she  makes  ;  nor  should  communion  in  any  ordi- 
nance of  worship  be  held  under  such  circumstances  as  would  be 
inconsistent  with  the  keeping  of  these  ordinances  pure  and  en- 
tire, ©r  so  as  to  give  countenanca  to  any  corruption  of  the  doc- 
trines and  institutions  of  Christ. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

This  Declaration  is  believed  to  be  in  accordance  with  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  chap,  xxvi.,  sees.  1,  2;  chap,  xxviii.,  sec.  4. 

We  have  not,  in  the  above  Declaration,  set  forth  the  whole  doctrine  of 
the  Scriptures  pertaining  to  the  communion  of  saints ;  as  it  is  not  the  ob- 
1  ect  of  this  Testimony  to  do  so  in  relation  to  any  of  the  points  on  which  we 
have  deemed  it  our  duty  to  give  a  declaration.  We  have,  as  in  all  the 
preceding  statements,  exhibited  only  that  view  of  the  subject  which  we 
think  has  been  lost  sight  of  by  some  who  profess  an  adherence  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith.  We  deem  this  remark  the  more  necessary  here,  as 
the  principle  which  the  :bove  Declaration  contains  is  not  distinctly 
brouo-ht  to  view  in  the  Confession.  From  this  circumstance,  and  from 
the  general  expressions  employed  in  that  document,  there  has  been 
thought  to  be  an  inconsistency  between  the  statements  there  made  on 
the  subject  of  communion,  and  the  view  here  presented.  The  first  sec- 
tion of  the  chapter  that  formally  treats  of  the  subject,  exhibits  union  to 
Jesus  Christ  by  his  Spirit,  and  union  to  one  another  in  love,  as  the  found- 
ation and  source  of  their  fellowship  with  Him  and  with  one  another. 
The  next  section  declares: — "  Saints,  by  profession,  are  bound  to  main- 
tain a  holy  fellowship  and  communion  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  in  per- 
forming such  other  spiritual  services  as  tend  to  their  mutual  edification  ; 


l  ELBSBt  ri-'.Kl.YN    O&URCII. 


so,  iii  :i  ether  in  outward  tl.  their 

several  abi  Which  communion,  as  God  offereth  op* 

portun^y.  i>  I  .ill   those,  who,  in    -  mil  up 

the  nam*  rests."     Bore,  l«  '  be  Co 

is  i  i nit  1  v  o:  U  is  the 

ier.il  b  ram  an  ion,  inolndi  relieving  each  other  in 

outward  th.  Lingtottx  nd  necessities." 

while  fellowship  in  sealio  nbl  Included  in  tl         ■- 

raunion  in  "the  worship  of  G  ined  in  this  Becti  el  t lie  sun- 

jex-t  being  I  1  in  tl  set,  there  *  U  ;i  necessity  for  the  us« 

of  the  general  expn  '*S  •;•  on,"  i  who 

in  d  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jeeos/'  ii  spc  iking  of  the 

persons  to  whom  this  communion  is  to  I  tended.     We  believe  that  the 

B  rip:«!  .  "All  those  who  in  every  pla         11  on  the  name 

the  Lord  Je  >r  the  special  purpose  of  settin  :i  the 

important  idea,  that  C         ians,  in  different  lands,  should  cultivate: 
wards  each  Other  a  holy  fellowship.  >>ot  sutF«-r  their  mutual   1  'V'-  to 

be  by  lo  nes  or  national  distinctions.     Th< 

object  for  which  the  \  bly  was  convened,  namely,  to 

effect  in  the  three  kingdoms  s  uniformity  in  doctrine,  worship,  and  gov- 
ernment, i:  also  be  remembered  that  the  ; 
tio                                                 the  Re-form ;it ion  were  at  that  time  expo?. 

ndered  it  ne  for  their  brethren   in   Othi  who  were  more 

highly  favore  !.  to  extend  relief  to  them  in  their  i  This,  though 

always  a  duty  to  some  degrei  duty  to  which  Christians 

were  especially  called.     Hence  the  principle  is  ins<  that  Christian 

in  every  pi ao\  should  be  the  object  <»ur  love  and  sympathy.     In  ad 

tion  to  thii  ,ould  not  be   forgotten   that  the  churches,  at  that  time, 

were  in  .  rse  of  re:  tion  :   and  their  entire  conformity  in  doctrine, 

worship,  government,  and  discipline,  was  anticipat  d  in  contempla- 

tion at  the  time  that  the  Confession  was  made.     The  Ordinance  of  the 
Parliament,  calling  the         emblv 

of  -  that  Assembly  to  be,  th<  ragreemenl       I  mrch 

of  England  "with  the  Chnrch  .nd  and  other. Reformed  Church 

abroa         [See  the  Ordinani  The  Chun  9  also,  adopted 

the  C  irt  of  the  intended    uniformity 

in   religi  A   |   of   Lb  emblv  ion.] 

Simil  for  the 

Public  Worship  i\  Cburcb  G  — 

.rly  indi  the  commnnion  which  th«y  enjoined  was 

tor  it.-  1  to  sup- 

pose who  declared  that  t!  I  the  C  a  of  Faith 

with  this  view,  and  as  ua.  special  means  for  the  more  effectually  suppress- 


36  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 

ing  of  the  many  dangerous  errors  and  heresies  of  these  times,''  and  who, 
in  their  National  Covenant,  had  declared  that  they  "  abhorred  and  de- 
tested all  religion  and  doctrine  contrary  to  that  received,  and  believed, 
and  defended  by  many  and  sundry  notable  kirks  and  realms,  but  chiefly  by 
the  Kirk  of  Scotland" — *who  had  covenanted  that  they  would  ''endeavor 
the  preservation  of  the  Reformed  religion  in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  in 
doctrine,  worship,  discipline,  and  government,7'  and  who  in  their  "  En- 
gagement to  duties"  had  solemnly  bound  themselves  to  "preserve  the 
purity  of  religion  against  all  error,  heresy  and  schism,  namely,  Indepen- 
dentism,  Anabaptism,  Antinomianism,  Arminianism,  Socinianism,  Famil- 
ism,  Libertinism,  Skepticism,  and  Erastianism" — how  unreasonable,  we 
say,  to  suppose  that  they  designed  by  this  article  in  the  Confession  to  en- 
join the  duty  of  the  church  of  Christ,  to  extend  sealing  ordinances  to 
those  who,  though  they  a  called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  were 
making  opposition  to  the  principles  of  the  Confession — making  opposi- 
tion, either  as  individuals,  or  in  a  collective  and  organized  capacity  as  a 
church!  Nothing  could  be  more  unreasonable  than  such  a  supposition. 
We  do  not  believe  that  the  framers  of  the  Confession  thought  of  "  God 
offering  opportunity"  (which  word  means  "a  time  favorable  for  the  pur- 
pose") to  Christians  to  hold  communion  in  sealing  ordinances,  under  such 
circumstances.  The  truth  is,  the  present  practice  of  intercommunion 
among  Christians  living  in  the  same  place,  and  professing  principles  op- 
posed to  each  other,  was  far  from  their  thoughts. 

While,  therefore,  in  accordance  with  our  Confession,  we  maintain  that 
communion  as  God  offereth  opportunity,  is  to  be  extended  to  all,  who  in 
every  place,  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  yet,  in  perfect  consist- 
ency with  this,  we  have  declared  that  the  church  should  not  extend  com- 
munion in  sealing  ordinances  to  those  who  refuse  adherence  to  her  pro- 
fession, or  subjection  to  her  government  and  discipline,  or  who  refuse  to 
forsake  a  communion  svhich  is  inconsistent  with  the  profession  which 
she  makes. 

In  making  this  declaration,  we  have  assumed  that  this  profession  is  in 
accordance  with  the  word  of  God.  If  this  be  so,  the  church  is  surely 
bound  to  maintain  it  by  the  due  exercise  of  government  and  discipline. 
If  it  be  the  duty  of  the  church  to  prote^5  the  truths  of  Christ,  as  must 
be  apparent  to  any  one  who  duly  considers  the  end  of  her  organization, 
and  the  solemn  injunctions  of  the  word  of  God,  ( Jude  3 ;  Prov.  xxiii. 
23 ;  Rev.  iii.  10 ;  Phil.  i.  27  ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  13;  2  Thess.  ii.  15 ;  Heb.  iv.  14; 
x.  23;  John  xv.  27;  Matt,  xxviii.  20,)  it  must  also  be  her  duty  to  man- 
tain  these  truths  by  the  faithful  exercise  of  that  government  and  discip- 
line which  have  been  instituted  by  her  King  and  Head.  The  correctness 
of  this  principle  is  so  obvious  that  we  see  not  how  any  one  can  call  it  in 
question.     The  word  of  God  clearly  recognises  it,  as  may  be  seen  by  a 


UNITED   PRESBYTERIAN   CHI  37 

re:  .  14,    I  .  li  ;  !.">.— 

1  in  t 

irticij"  it  a   full  I 

the   ri^lit   of  that  lipj  or   r;ither,   the 

m  itself  of  thv  l.     [f  this  he  deni< 

ask,  wh  church 

than  is  done  in  •  »  a  person  this  privi.  \     I   in  wh.it  w 

a  the  church  withhold  >fthi-         ibership  from  a  person 

for  any  i  y  refusing  to  extend  to  him  this  privi  This  I    - 

ing  the  case,  it  must  appear  to  ler  the  matt         palpable 

in  end  the  privi i   g       >  those  who  reffl 

to  her  |  t,  or  subjection  to  her         eminent  and  discipli  By 

so  le  church  _  e  which  it  i 

her  to  p  P  communion  with   I  i   whom  and   herself, 

church  pro  ain  truths,  there   is   not  only  no  comm  ut 

:ual  opposition.     To  these  p 
she  g         to  those  who  are  ••holding  mat  the  profession  o:  ith." 

ling   to  thJ  it  is  plain  that  the  government  an  1  discip- 

line of  I  arch  cannot  b  I  ith  her  profession;   th 

there  >me  truths  which   Christ  has  male  it  the  du.  the  church 

to  pn  and  though  he  ha  or  a  government  an  1  a 

yet  she  may  not  exercise  these  in  maintaining  these  troths.     How  p 
ble  is  the  inconsistency  in  which  this  pr  •  involve-  !     Is 

it  the  profession  may  he  mautained,  even  though  this  privilege 

be  extended  to  those  who  may  be  op]  it  in  some  particulars?   \\ 

•v  is  t  If  those   who  are  op[>  m 

which  the  church  mak        .  soum  of  i  _   principl  <y  be 

admi:  i  baptism  and  the  Lords  Supper,  0]  ion  to  this  profession, 

on  the  part  of  any  of  its  me  with  iow  of  cons  y, 

be  made  a   ground  oi  exclusion  from    these    privi  ;    for  if  one  may 

oppo  sion  which  the  church  m.  nother  d 

her  of  the  church.     \V:  under  th  on  of 

a  prin  church  for  the   pi         i  ation  of  her  pun 

It  i  1  that  the  1,) 

i  to   h  i- 

ples  ot  nd,  therefoi 

a  ground  either  for  excluding  th 

ordin  .         .  or  of  withholding  these  ordin  from  th  B  not 

mernbr  In  relation  to  tl  .Id  ol  ~[l-l  That   the 

t   of  their  -hip  i  leir   put,  o: 

f  the   chur  .ich  tl  .If 

i  if  th 
all  its  prin  ;"  com  .ve  come  under  an 


38  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


implied,  if  not  an  express  obligation  to  mantain  them.  [2.]  The  admis- 
sion of  persous  to  membership,  with  this  understanding,  proceeds  upon 
the  supposition  that  private  members  constitute  no  part  of  the  church, 
but  that  it  is  confined  exclusively  to  the  officers  of  the  church,  which  is 
unscriptural,  (Matt.  xvi.  18  ;  Acts  ii.  47;  viii.  1;  xiv.  23,  27  ;  xv.  22;  Eph, 
i.  22  ;  v.  25;  1  Cor.  xii.  28;)  anti-presbyterian,  and  contrary  to  the  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  which  defines  the  church  to  be  "those  who  profess  the 
true  religion  together  with  their  children."  [3.]  This  principle,  if  it 
were  always  recognised  and  acted  upon,  would  render  the  government 
and  discipline  of  the  church  a  mere  nullity,  and  totally  annihilate  the 
jurisdiction  of  church  officers.  What  authority  could  be  consistently 
claimed  and  exercised  over  those  who  had  given  no  promise,  either  ex- 
press or  implied,  of  adherence  to  the  doctrine,  worship,  and  government 
of  the  church? 

We  have  also  declared,  that  communion  in  sealing  ordinances  should 
not  be  extended  by  a  church  to  persons  who  "refuse  to  forsake  a  com- 
munion which  is  inconsistent  with  the  profession  which  she  makes.'' 
The  correctness  of  this  principle  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence  from 
the  principle  already  established ;  namely,  that  there  should  be  an  adhe- 
rence to  to  the  profession,  and  subjection  :o  the  government  and  discip- 
line of  the  church  required  of  those  who  are  admitted  to  her  communion 
in  sealing  ordinances.  It  is  plain  that  a  person  cannot  be  a  member,  at 
the  same  time,  of  two  churches;  nor  can  he  be  consistently  admitted  by 
a  church  to  those  privileges,  a  participation  of  which  implies  a  full  right 
to  membership,  on  the  ground  of  his  membership  in  a  church  whose  pro- 
fession is  inconsistent  with  that  of  the  one  to  which  he  seeks  admission. 
The  impropriety  of  extending  to  such  a  person  the  sealing  ordinances, 
becomes,  under  these  circumstances,  the  more  palpable;  for  not  only 
does  he  give  no  declaration  of  adherence  to  the  church  extending  to  him 
its  highest  privileges  and  its  most  affecting  pledges  of  communion,  but 
he  appears  there  as  the  member  of  a  religious  association  whose  princi- 
ples are  known  to  be  different  from,  and  in  some  respects  adverse  to, 
those  of  the  church  which  invites  him  to  this  communion.  Such  a  prac- 
tice, too,  involves  the  following  evils  and  irregularities: — [1.]  It  re- 
cognises the  propriety  of  receiving  persons  to  membership  in  the 
church  who  do  not  profess  our  principles  and  subject  themselves  to 
her  laws.  For  if  they  may  be  received,  on  one  occasion,  to  the  highest 
privileges  of  the  church,  they  may  be  received,  in  the  same  way,  to  per- 
manent membership.  [2.]  It  recognises  the  principle  that  mere  saint- 
ship  is  the  criterion  of  the  right  of  a  person  to  the  communion  of  the 
church,  which  is  unscriptural,  (2  Thess.  iii.  14,  15;  1  Cor.  v.  5.)  [3.]  It 
requires,  and  supposes  a  recognition  of  the  acts  of  those  who  admitted 
these  persons  to  membership  in  other  churches,  without  a  knowledge  of 


UNITED  >m:iii\\    OJ         n.  39 

I  when  th  L  the  authorit? 

be.  an  1  who  a   no 

sc  i  the  cbui  pi         pie  U  u- 

Thifl  pre  [a  ility  a  ho 

are  nil  enjoying,  for  the  tins  privi  and  thu 

stroys  the  unity  of  I  irch.  ]   It  impairs  the  fullm 

of  the  :i  of  tl,  ordina 

under  >a,  a 

comm.m  faith.     [«'».]   I  testimony,  which  :'• 

mem''  >f  the  chnroh  would  other  ilf 

of  their  distinctive  pr  i  of  the.  ity  in  making  it. 

It  has  a  tei  /  to  mak  ?,  in  1  to  divine  truth. 

and  the  duty  and  in  faithfully  maintaining  it.     [8.]   It  pc   - 

ats  th  in  the  church  ol  id  thna  en- 

da*  her  pnrit;  J  It  encour  church  or_ 

or       .  rian  divi  it  prop)  ils  of  these  divi- 

sions, which  contemplate-   the  continuance  of  these   divisions,  and  thus 
makes  Christians  indifferent  to  th  if   which  receives  no  connteo  in 

the  word  of  God,  and  is  highly  displeasing  to  the  II  >f  the  church. 

While,  the  that  no  Christian  should  be  ezclud  >m 

thi  ing  ordinances  of  the  church,  simply  because  of  the  weakness  of 

his  faith  or  the  smallness  of  his   attainments,  or   because  of  difficulties 
that  may  be  in  his  mind  in   relation  to  some  point  1  with  the 

profession  of  the  church.  .he  considerations  we  have  pi  .ed  fully 

b  the  truth  of  our  Declaration  on  this  subject,  and  call  upon 

lemoly  to  testify  against  the  practice  which  prevails  even  among  many 
who  pr>  the   1':  erian  riving  persons  into  the  com- 

munion of  the  chur    i,  without  requiri  il 

ire  able  to  ja  of  the  profession  which  the  church 

mak«  1  of  admitt:       I  il  communion  the  ir.  of  other 

n   churches,  of  a   different  faith   and  profession,   sim:  .   the 

ground  of  their  membership  in  said  churcl  them 

in  an  the  government  church 

that  admits  them  to  this  occasional  communion. 

ARTICLE    XVII.—  01   OOYKHAHTINQ. 
DXCLABAT] 

11"  </■          .  Tii  it   public  -  il  dut 

the                     >f  wb  !  times,  bu 

s  th<'  pi         il.-.-  o  1.  in  1  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the   church    may  iridicai         It  ifl   B          table  in 


40  TESTIMONY   OF    THE 

times  of  great  clanger  to  the  church — in  times  of  exposure  to 
backsliding — or  in  times  of  reformation,  when  the  church  is  re- 
turning to  God  from  a  state  of  backsliding.  When  the  church 
has  entered  into  such  covenant  transactions,  they  continue  to 
bind  posterity  faithfully  to  adhere  to  and  prosecute  the  grand 
object  for  which  such  engagements  have  been  entered  into. 

Araument  and  Illustration. 
This  Declaration  is  in  accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  the  Confession 
of  Faith,  chap.  xxii.  sees.  5 — 1. 

The  Confession,  in  the  sections  referred  to,  treats  of  "vows."  These 
are  essentially  the  same  as  covenants  with  God.  In  covenanting  with 
God  we,  in  the  way  of  taking  hold  of  his  covenant  of  grace,  in  which 
he  engages  to  be  our  God,  promise  to  him,  or  vow,  that  in  the  strength 
of  his  promised  grace,  we  will  be  his  people,  and  perform  those  duties 
which  he  has  enjoined  upon  us  in  his  word.  He  says,  in  the  promise  of 
the  covenant,  "I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people/' 
(Heb.  viii.  10.)  The  believer,  in  exercise  of  faith,  takes  God  to  be  his 
God;  and,  having  done  so,  he  engages  on  his  part,  that  he  will  be  one 
of  his  people,  and  act  towards  him  in  a  way  becoming  this  relation. 
This  avowal  and  engagement  are  made  when  the  believer  first  gives  him- 
self away  to  the  Lord,  and  they  are  renewed  upon  every  subsequent  dedi- 
cation. This  is  the  essence  of  covenanting  with  God,  whether  it  be 
personal  and  private,  or  social  and  public.  The  churches  of  Macedonia, 
therefore,  covenanted  with  God,  when  they  gave  their  own  selves  to  the 
Lord,  (2  Cor.  viii.  5.)  This  is  the  duty  to  which  the  apostle  exhorts  the 
Romans,  when  urging  them  to  yield  themselves  to  the  Lord,  and  to  present 
their  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  unto  God,  (Rom.  vi.  13;  xii.  1.)  The  idea  of 
a  covenant  is  necessarily  involved  In  such  a  surrender.  In  every  such 
surrender  there  must  be  a  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and  an  engage- 
ment, on  our  part,  to  be  his  people,  and  to  perform  the  various  duties 
that  are  incumbent  upon  us. 

Besides  this  covenanting  with  God,  in  which  every  believer  must  be 
supposed  to  have  engaged,  the  Scriptures  also  clearly  authorize  the  do- 
ing of  this  on  special  occasions,  by  a  formal  and  solemn  deed.  The  chil- 
dren of  Israel  at  Horeb,  after  Moses  had  related  to  them  the  promises 
and  requirements  of  God,  said — "All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will 
do,"  (Ex.  xix.  5 — 8.)  Here  were  solemn  engagements  to  duty,  publicly 
expressed.  These  engagements  were  afterwards  renewed,  and  in  making 
these  engagements  they  are  said  to  "enter  into  covenant  with  the  Lord 
their  God;"  the  end  of  which  covenant  is  declared  to  be  that  the  Lord 
''might  establish  them  a  people  unto  himself,"  (Deut.  xxix.  10 — 13.) 
Here  was  a  public  transaction,  in  which  they  formally  and  explicitly  en- 


II. 


At 

told  od 

I 
di  -vill  w 

A 
mrait!  ite  it 

|     On 
d   th< 
nt  to  .   ,rd 

of  thi  i  ith  all  their  soul."'     The 

unity  I  on  t;  ion,  ( 

IT  ine  heart  to  mi 

a  c  with  the  Lord  God  o;  lis  fie: 

from  Wi  xi.  17)  tha 

ivenant  I  .  the   Loj  I  be  kiug,  and  the  people,  ti. 

lOuld  be  the  Loi  iah(2Eii  )  "mi 

.ore  tl  d   to  walk  after  the  Lord.  to  kc-  corumand- 

nn  jtimoni  :d   his  statutes,  with  all  their  heait,  and 

with  all  their  soul/'     Manj  ra  made  the  chief  ] 

the   Lei  .1   Israel  enter  into  a  covenant  a:  that  tl. 

would  i  duti  .)     In  the  time  oi  iniah 

the  children  of  Israel  We  make  a  sure  COT  :id  write  it;"  and 

1  i  :old  that  the;  I  into  a  curse  and  into  an  oath  to 

ilk  in  law,  which  was  given  by  M  (Neh.  Lx.  38;  x.  28,  29.) 

These  examples  of  God's  people   clearly  authorize  the  dut  forth 

the  Declaration. 

We   :  it  the  du;  consider*  rformed  by 

ver  when  he  dedical  mself  to  the  Lord,  and  was  perform- 

ed he  churches  of  Macedi  of  the  duty  being  mor. 

ttn  in  which  «  <;ple  are  re|  rving  it  on  seve- 

nly  desi_  for  our  imitation,  when  the 

oc  I  it.     In  addition  to  th  \e 

that  we  a:  d  to  "vow  and  pay  unto  the  Lord  our 

.11.)     The  dutj  iriDg,  not  only  by  the  Lord,  but 

(he  Lord,  :  ;t.  v.  33.)     He   hi 

gi  ■  vice  that  we  .-hould 

IL  11;  Luke  i. 
It  i  ;,  unci 

th'  .  ition,  "Five 

of  unto  tl  21;)  a 

lual  i  ill 

not  b  eo."  J  L'l  p 

ixs.  b,  margin  gi?e  the  baud  unto  the  Lord.'  It  .  xlif 


42  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


5,)  as  the  result  of  the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  that  his  people  "shall  sub- 
scribe with  the  hand  unto  the  Lord."  Such  formal,  solemn  transactions, 
have  been  not  only  privately  entered  into  by  the  best  of  God's  people; 
but  also  publicly,  by  the  churches  of  the  Reformation,  and  particularly 
the  Church  of  Scotland. 

Such  transactions,  when  entered  into  according  to  the  will  of  God,  do 
not  bind  to  any  thing  additional  to  what  the  law  of  God  contains;  but 
they  bring  those  who  engage  in  them  under  an  additional  obligaticn — an 
obligation  arising  from  their  own  engagement,  promise,  or  oath,  as  the 
case  may  be. 

We  have  said  that  this  duty  is  not  a  stated,  but  an  extraordinary  duty. 

That  this  is  the  case,  appears  from  the  very  nature  of  the  duty.  It  is  only 
on  special  occasions  that  writings  and  an  oath  between  parties  are  re- 
quired.    It  also  appears  from  the  Scripture  examples  referred  to. 

We  have  said  that  this  duty  is  seasonable  in  times  of  great  danger  to 
the  church.  Such  was  the  character  of  the  times  in  the  reign  of  Asa. 
They  were  "in  trouble" — "great  vexations"  were  upon  them — they  were 
«  vexed  with  all  adversity,"  (2  Chron.  xv.  3,  4,  5,  6,  12.) 

We  have  said  that  this  duty  is  seasonable  in  times  of  exposure  to  back- 
sliding. Such  was  the  case  in  the  time  of  Joshua.  There  were  "strange 
gods"  among  them,  (Josh.  xxiv.  23.) 

We  have  also  said  that  it  is  seasonable  in  times  of  reformation      Such 
was  the  case  in  the  time  of  Ezra.     "The  people  wept  very    sore"  of  their 
sins,  acknowledging  that  they  had  trespassed  against  their  God,  (Ezra    x. 
1 — 3,) — and  in  the  time  of  Nehemiah  they  had   ''separated  themselves 
from  the  people  of  the  land  unto  the  law  of  God,"'  (Neh.  x.  28,  29.) 

This  duty  being  thus  of  a  special  and  extraordinary  character,  and  its 
seasonableness  to  be  determined  by  the  indications  of  God's  providences 
and  the  circumstances  of  the  church,  there  may  be  times  when  the  call 
to  it  may  not  be  so  clear  to  the  minds  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
church.  On  this  account  such  members  should  not  be  required  to  ob- 
serve it.  nor  subjected  to  discipline  for  declining  to  do  so ;  provided  they 
are  not  making  public  opposition  to  it  as  a  moral  duty  to  be  observed  on 
proper  occasions. 

We  have  declared  that  "  when  the  church  has  entered  into  such  coven- 
ant transactions,  they  continue  to  bind  posterity  faithfully  to  adhere  to, 
and  prosecute  the  grand  object  for  which  such  engagements  have  been 
entered  into."  The  principle  here  recognised,  is  not  peculiar  to  these 
transactions.  It  is  the  same  principle  that  is  acted  upon  in  all  corporate 
or  organized  bodies,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical.  Every  society  re- 
gards its  acts,  (unless  these  acts  are  such  as,  in  their  nature,  limit  their 
own  duration  to  a  certain  period,)  as  properly  binding  the  body  until  they 
are  repealed.  The  removal,  by  death,  of  some,  or  even  of  all  those  who 
originally  passed  these  acts,  does  not  in  the  least  affect  their  obligation 


C SITED   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 


upon  The  b  ime  princip]  M 

the  church  in  I 

riptui  A\  in  other  tra  a- 

th  Bosea  xii.  4 ;  with  -  I ;  B 

but  id  immed  tion  with  this  dot;  with 

1 1.     Id  childn 

tion  in  fioreb,  (E        v.  5 —  Phe  Lord  m  uit  with 

our  Dithers,  but  with  Q  0  arc  nil  of  us  here  alive  thil 

da  .       toot  v.  3.)     Again:  M  the  m  i ith  of  Q 

(D  M I  make  this  w  ls6  with  him  th  re 

h  us  this  The  children  oflw  re  eh  1  with  break- 

ing the  coven.  i:it  which  he  mil  :  -r.  xi.  10.)      Be  a: 

not  tr  m 
(Jer.  ii.  20.)     Be  prom  a  thai  he  will  not  forget  the  covenant 

•*,  which  he  sware  unto  them.   ( Dent.  iv.  31  ;)  and  th  it  he  will 

aeraber  the  tant  of  their  amcetton  a  he  brought  out  of  the  land 

of  Egypt]  (Lev.  xxvi.  44.  4">.)     The  descent,  therefore;  upou  posterity,  of 
oblig  !  arising  from  covenant  en  _r  laments,  is  most  clearly  re  d 

in  the  Scriptures.    In  accord  -vith  this  scriptural  princip'.  hiv: 

descend  :u  the  Church  o:  land,  regard  ourselves  .       by 

the  e:  nents  of  ouf  reform: og  an©  in  the  National  Covenant, 

aud  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  to  prosecute  the  gran  1  object  for  whu  h 
these  covena:.  into,  namely,  the  preservation  and  trans- 

mission to  i t v  of  the  true  Reformed  religion,  (Ps.  Lxxriii  )    In 

making  this  statement,  h  are  not  to  be  understoo  1  as  expre- 

ing  our  approval  of  every  with  these  Ions,  as  en- 

tered into  by  them. 

We  h  ive  thus  fully  established  the  principles  of  the  foregoing  De 
tion  in  relation  to  this  duty,  and  therefore  we  solemnly  V  in  behalf 

of  its  oi  nee  by  the  chinch.     And  although,  in  the  consideration  of 

this  subject,  vre  have  been  goaded  exclusively  by  tin-  Q 

word:  yet  the  that  this  duty  is,  when  properly  oi--  1,80  evidently 

calculated,  in  its  own  n  iture,  to  unite  the  hearts   of  God's  children,  in 
their  efforts  to  maintiin  an  1  mce  his  cause,  and  keep  alive  in  th 

souls  a  sense  of  their  ment  to  Him.  fixes  in  our  mind 

the  conviction  that  the  glory  i  ..  and  the  i'  the  church,  de- 

mand its  oba  the  providences  1  the  ciroon 

of  the  church  may  indicate. 

ARTICLE    XVIII.  —Of  WALMODY. 
D  B(  I.  a  B  LTION. 

Ii'  .   Tl.  ••  il  :-   -:.         i  of  ( J  » 1  th  •  m 

in  the  book  of  Psalms,  I>3  sung  in  his  worship,  b  >:h  • 
lie  and  private,  to  the  en  1  of  the  world;  so  I  in 


44  TESTIMONY    OF    THE 


praise,  these  songs  should  be  employed  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
devotional  compositions  of  uninspired  men. 

Argument  and  Illustration. 

This  Declaration  is  in  accordance  with  the  Confession  of  Faith,  chap, 
xxi.  sees.  1  and  5;  Shorter  Catechism,  Ques.  51;  Larger  Catechism,  Ques. 
109  ;  and  Directory  for  the  Public  Worship  of  God. 

Although  the  Declaration  we  have  just  made  on  this  subject  is  in  op- 
position to  the  statements  and  practices  of  many,  even  of  those  who  pro- 
fess an  adherence  to  the  Confession  of  Faith,  we  believe  it  to  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  authority  of  God's  word. 

This  Declaration  affirms  it  to  be  the  will  of  God,  that  the  songs  contained 
in  the  book  of  Psalms  should  be  used  by  the  church  of  Christ,  In  tes- 
tifying in  behalf  of  this,  we,  of  course,  are  to  be  understood  as  speaking 
of  the  use  of  the  Psalms  in  the  formal  worship  of  God.  Now,  the  word 
of  God  is  the  only  source  to  which  we  can  apply  in  order  to  ascertain  his 
will.  In  the  light  of  this  word,  we  urge  in  favor  of  the  use  of  these 
Psalms: — 1.  God  has  given  them  as  a  book  of  psalms.  They  were 
composed  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  (2  Tim.  iii.  16:  2  Pet.  i.  21 ;  2  Sam. 
xxiii.  2 ;)  and,  of  course,  were  given  by  God.  We  have  said  that  they 
were  given  as  a  book  of  psalms.  They  are  expressly  so  called  in  the  New 
Testament,  (Luke  xx.  42;  Acts  i.  20.)  Our  argument,  then,  is — The  book 
of  Psalms,  whence  was  it  ?  From  heaven,  or  of  men  ?  If  from  heaven  , 
why  not  use  it?  (Matt.  xxi.  25.)  2.  The  title  given  to  David,  their 
penman,  indicates  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  be  used  by 
the  church.  He  is  called  "the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel,"  (2  Sam.  xxiii. 
1.)  3.  They  are  called  the  "songs  of  the  Lord,"  (1  Chron.  xxv.  7;) 
which,  like  the  expressions,  "table  of  the  Lord,''*  "supper  of  the  Lord," 
"  day  of  the  Lord,"  implies  divine  authority  and  appointment.  4.  They 
are  called  "the  songs  of  Zion,"  (Ps.  exxxvii.  3,)  which  implies  that  they 
were  designed  for  the  use  of  the  church.  5.  God's  worshipping  people, 
under  the  former  dispensation,  were  directed  to  sing  them,  (1  Chron.  xvi. 
4,1-,  2  Chron.  xxix.  30;  Ps.  cv.  2;  Ps.  lxxxi.  2:)  and  they  sang  them 
after  their  captivity.  (Neh.  xii.  24.)  These  directions  and  examples  are 
still  in  force,  as  there  is  in  the  New  Testament  no  intimation  to  the  con- 
trary. 6.  These  commands  are  renewed  in  the  New  Testament,  (Eph.  v. 
19;  Col.  iii.  16;  James  v.  13.)  7.  They  were  mos:  probably  sung  by 
our  Lord  and  his  disciples  at  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  (Matt, 
xxvi.  30  ;)  the  Jews  made  use  of  them  at  the  passover,  on  which  occasion 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  instituted.  Here  the  argument  is  the  same  as  we 
have  for  the  observance  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the  Sabbath. 
These  considerations  fully  establish  the  truth  of  our  Declaration,  that 
the  songs  contained  in  the  book  of  Psalms  should  be  sung  in  the  worship 
of  God. 


UNITED   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 


w 

or 

For  it  ifl  Dot   on  '.;iiilo 

. 
I  will,*'  but  tli  the  v 

.)  simple  qu        a,  then,  is — II.. 

we   ii\  ii  13  of  unit;  iu 

?     It  lie 

not 
[ritual  (Eph.  v.  19j  Col.  i;  )     la  ithor 

sought  ,  "  musl 

11 1  itiona 

:  from  thos1 

ns  of  uninspired  men  differ  .  of  in>  men.     This,  hu 

nuot  be  show::.     It  does  not  in  the  of 

for  w  w  that  the  Script  ften,  under  a  variety 

ofnamei  me  pi  I  which  has  been  appointed  by 

"judgmenta,"    •  ordinances,"  and  "con  Lments 

(I  Deut.  .10;  ;   Ex.  xviii.    . 

x:  in  the  names,  "  1;  'or 

name  ire 

applied  along  wi  (a  j ..-  me  of  the  inspir  ,tlni3. 

The  wL  .  in  II  -  I/tin,  the  Book  of 

Ilymns.     T  ion  of  the  Old  I  it — tfa 

in  the  times  of  the  Apostle-  lies  to  some  of  the  inspired 

Psalms  the  very  terms,  "hymn  vhich  the  apostle  e 

pi  I  Josephus,  and  other  w:  fer  to  tfa  id 

under  the  name  o  me."     It  is.  therefor  -rly  ii 

ible  to  to  find  in  the 

uthoi  of  any  other  compositions  but  th< 

and  hymn  ion. 

But  not  on  i  of  authority  in  these  passages,  but  th 

ar  I  vhich  are  conclusive  b  I  on 

of  inction  as  the  one  t.     1.   It  is  known  that  ther- 

and  hymns,  and 

I  to  mike  hymns  or 
for  t 
poss  it.     3.   It   is   d 

b> 


46  TESTIMONY   OF   THE 


likely  that  the  apostle  would  thus  place  the  word  of  God  and  the  word  of 
man  upon  a  par,  by  directing  them  both  to  be  used  for  the  same  end.  6. 
Jf  we  make  the  distinction  which  is  alleged  to  exist  between  psalms  and 
Injmns,  we  must  make  a  distinction  equally  great  between  hymns  and 
spiritual  songs.  7.  These  songs  are  called  spiritual,  which  word  implies 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  their  author,  (1  Cor.  x.  3,  4  ;  Rom.  vii.  14  ;  1  Cor, 
lii.  1  ;  xv.  44,  46;  Eph.  i.  3;  Gal.  vi.  1  ;  Col.  i.  9,  &c.)  8.  They  are  to 
be  used  as  a  means  of  being  "filled  with  the  Spirit;"  to  this  end  the 
words  of  inspiration  are  peculiarly  adapted.  9.  We  are  to  sing  them  as 
a  means  of  "letting  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  us  richly" — language 
which  will  apply  more  appropriately  to  the  inspired  Psalms  than  to  any 
human  composition.  In  view  of  these  considerations,  these  two  passages 
of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  are  to  be  regarded  as  an  apostolic  in- 
junction to  praise  God,  by  means  of  those  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual 
s^ongs,  which  He  himself  had  given  to  his  church.  In  making  use  of  any 
thing  else,  we  are  doing  that  for  which  we  have  no  warrant,  and  against 
the  expressed  will  of  Him  to  whom  alone  it  belongs  to  say  in  what  way, 
and  by  what  means,  he  shall  be  worshipped.  We,  therefore,  solemnly 
testify  against  the  use  of  uninspiied  compositions  in  the  worship  of  God. 

In  testifying  for  the  use  of  an  inspired  psalmody,  we,  of  course,  make 
no  reference  to  any  particular  version.  We  should  use  the  most  faithful 
that  can  be  obtained.  It  is  for  the  u  e  of  the  book  of  Psalms,  in  a  faith- 
ful translation,  whether  it  be  in  measured  or  unmeasured  lines,  and 
against  the  use  of  a  mere  imitation  3r  loose  paraphrase  of  these  Psalms, 
or  the  use  of  a  religious  song,  composed  by  man,  that  we  testify. 

The  evils  which  have  followed  the  exclusion  of  an  inspired  psalmody 
from  the  worship  of  God.  and  the  arguments  which  have  been  urged  by 
many  of  the  advocates  of  the  practice  which  we  condemn,  (indicating, 
as  they  often  do,  a  disregard  of  Divine  authority,  or  a  want  of  reverence 
for  the  Scriptures,  and  low  views  in  relation  io  their  inspiration,)  only 
impress  us  the  more  deeply  with  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  mantain- 
ing  this  ordinance  in  its  purity. 

CONCLUSION. 

We  have  thus,  with  all  plainness,  but  we  trust  in  "simplicity 
and  eodly  sincerity/'  given  a  declaration  of  our  faith  in  relation 
to  certain  articles  of  divine  truth,  which  have  been  either  deni- 
ed by  not  a  few  professing  Christians,  or  permitted  to  lie  in 
obscurity.  Our  object  has  been  by  thus,  as  a  church  of  Christ, 
"speaking  the  truth  in  love/7  to  draw  attention  to  these  things, 
in  the  hope  that  our  brethren  of  the  Presbyterian  family,  from, 
whom  we  are  in  a  state  of  separation,  may  be  brought  seriously 
to  consider  the  grounds  of  our  controversy  with  them.  We 
most  deeply  deplore  the  divisions  that  exist  in  the  Church  of 


ITED   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH.  47 


and  (  'ally  an 

Faith  :  belies  ing  that  t 

t  hrist,  and  tend  t<»  hardeo  th.  tin  truth  in  their  oj 

t«>  it — to  pron         improper  feelings  an  iren — 

unteraot  tin  rand 

and   a?OW<  I  hii>tianity,   which    ifl    to   unit; 

all  countries  and  el  G  I  to  <  ■  nti- 

ment,  heart,  and  ion.    With  t!  nr  minds 

ha\.  I  upon  the  i;  I     tiinonj  ;  and  it  is  with  a 

.  wiih  the  bl<  of  <  rod,  be  instru- 

mental  in  brinf         >ur  brethren  ana  qs  to  see  eye  I  thai 

we  now  publish  if        be  world. 

It  has  been  to  displace 

'I',  Btim  the  t  Faith,  or  in  any  I  \v 

le.     Had  th  liquid  have  in- 

troduced  into  it  many  things  on  which  we  h,  otirelj 

lent.     The  \  m  in  which  we  1  bibited  this  i  i  3ti- 

mony,  clearly  indicates  thai  our  object  is  direetly  th 
th  We  ha\"  In  -  an  ans,  to  direct  attenti 

d<  tit    which   contains   th<  afefi  I  aith,  and  to 

rich,  Church  we  h        solemnly  declared  on 

We  would  with  all  earnestness,  remind   all  those  into 

whose  hand-  this  Testimony  may  fall,  and  ially  I  who 

have  received  it  as  their':    91  iiioiiy,  that  a  pi  I  of  it  n- 

ciples  will  be  in  vain,  and  than  in  vain,  if  this  pn        -  on 

}>,  attended  by  a  holy  life — a  life  of  |»ra  mmonion 

with  God,  and  d        ion  to  his  cauc        The  "grace   of  G 

hich  we  ha  thibit,  which  "teach 

us,  thai  n ;_r  all    ungodliness  and    worldly  1  should 

live  soberly,  r;  <dly  in  thi>  present  world         k- 

in         r  that  ;         d  hope,  and  th<     _  j   of  the 

great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Chri  known, 

, and  solemnly  c  ed,  thatw<         ird  our-  id 

nil  those  who  may  pr 

under  i  renounce  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the 

devil—  _ ainst  _    holiness   in    tlie  fear  of 

tl  it    upon  (  lod   in   all  ?  of  relii. 

jhip,  individual  and  and 

tl        in  all  their  appropriate  tin  >ns — to  pi         e  the 

v,  and  prosperil  ion,  and  I ! 

• 
tl         hout  th         rid —  of  th 

and  promote  harity  and  brotl 

love  towards  all  their  brethren  in   l 

j  to  this  rule,  on  th<  m  an  I  nou 

upon  the   Li  Am< 


APPENDIX. 


COXEESSIOX   OF  THE   U.  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

Co  n  of  Faith.  Chop.  20,  Sec.  i — And  because  the  pov 

which  i  he  liberty  wiiich  Chri>th:itli  pur- 

chased, arc  not  intended  by  God  to  destroy,  but  mutually  to  up- 
hold and  |  ve  one  another;  they  who.  upon  pretence  of 
Christian  liberty,  shall  oppose  any  lawful  power,  or  the  lawful 
exercise  of  it.  whether  it  be  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  resist  the  ordi- 
nance of  God.  And  for  the  publishing  of  such  opinions,  or 
maintaining  such  practices  as  are  contralto  the  light  of  nature 
or  to  the  known  principles  of  Christianity,  whether  concerning 
faith,  worship,  or  conversation,  or  to  the  power  of  godliness ;  or 
such  erroneous  opinions  or  practices  as,  either  in  their  OAvn  na- 
ture or  in  the  manner  of  publishing  or  maintaining  them,  are 
destructive  to  the  external  peace  and  order  which  Christ  has 
established  in  the  Church;  they  ought  to  be  called  to  account. 
and  proceeded  against  by  the  censures  of  the  church,  if  they 
belong  to  her  communion,  and  thus  be  amenable  to  her  own 
spiritual  authority.  And  as  the  ( ivil  magistrate  is  the  minister 
of  God  for  good,  to  the  virtuous,  and  a  revenger  to  execute 
wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil,  he  is  therefore  bound  to  sup- 
press individuals  and  combinations,  whatever  may  be  their 
avowed  objects,  whether  political  or  religious,  whose  principles 
and  practices,  openly  propagated  ami  maintained  arc  calculated 
to  subvert  the  foundations  of  properly  constituted  society. 

Co?ifcssion  Chap.  23,  Sec.  3. — The  civil  magistrate  may  not  as- 
sume to  himself  the  administration  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments 
(2  chron.  xxvi.  18 ;  Heb.  v.  4;  Rom.  x.  15 :)  or  the  power  of  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  in  the  least  interfere  to  regu- 
late matters  of  faith  and  worship.  (Matt.  xvi.  19;  i  Cor.  iv.  1—2: 
John  xviii.  36 ;  Acts  v.  1—9. 18—20:  vi.  &;  Matt.  ii.  7.)  As  nursing- 
fathers,  magistrates  are  bound  to  administer  their  government 
according  to  the  revealed  principles  of  Christianity,  and  to  im- 
prove the  opportunities  which  their  high  station  and  extensive 
influence  afford  in  promoting  the  Christian  religion  as  their  own 
most  valuable  interest  and  the  good  of  the  people  demand,  by  all 
such  means  as  do  not  imply  any  infringement  of  the  inherent 
rights  of  the  church ;  or  any  assumption  of  dominion  over  the 
consciences  of  men,  (Col.  iii.  17  ;  Ps.  ii.  10 — 11:  Ps.  xciv.  20.) 
They  ought  not  to  punish  any  as  heretics  or  schismatics.  No 
authoritative  judgment  concerning  matters  of  religion  is  compe- 
tent to  them,  as  their  authority  extends  only  ro  the  external 
works  or  practices  of  their  subjects  as  citizens,  and  not  as  Chris- 
tians. It  is  their  duty  to  protect  the  church,  in  such  a  manner 
that  all  ecclesiastical  persons  shall  enjoy  the  full,  free  and  un- 
questioned liberty  of  discharging  every  part  of  their  sacred 
functions  without  violence  or  danger.  (Is.  xlix.  23,)  They  should 
enact  no  law  which  would  in  anyway  interfere  with. or  hinder  the 
due  exercise  of  government  and  discipline  established  by  Jesus 
Christ  in  his  church.  (Ps.  cv.  14 ;  Acts  xviii.  14 — 16.)  It  is  their 
duty.  also,  to  protect  the  person,  good  name,  estate,  natural  and 
civil  rights  of  all  their  subjects,  in  such  a  way  that  no  person 
be  s uttered,  upon  any  pretence,  to  violate  them :  and  to  take 
order  that  all  religious  and  ecclesiastical  assemblies  be  held 
without  molestation  or  disturbance.  (1  Tim.  ii.  2:  Ps.  lxxxii. 
3.)  God  alone  being  Lord  of  the  conscience,  the  civil  magistrate 
may  not  compel  any  under  his  civil  authority  to  worship  God 
contrary  to  the  dictates  of  their  own.  consciences,  yet  it  is  com- 
petent in  him  to  restrain  such  opinions,  and  punish  such  practi- 
ces, as  tend  to  subvert  the  foundations  of  civil  society,  and  vio- 
late the  common  rights  of  men,  (2  Cor.  x.  4  ;  Rom.  xiii.  3 — i ; 
Xehem.  xiii.  15.  17.  21,  22.) 

Confession  of  Faith.  Chap.  31,  Sec.  2. — "We  declare  that  as  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  kingdom  distinct  from  and  indepen- 
dent of  the  State  having  a  government,  laws,  office-bearers,  and 
all  spiritual  power  peculiar  to  herself,  for  her  own  edification ; 
so  it  belongs  exclusively  to  the  ministers  of  Christ,  together 
with  other  fit  persons,  upon  delegation  from  their  churches,  by 
virtue  of  their  office,  and  the  intrinsic  power  committed  to 
them,  to  appoint  their  own  assemblies,  and  to  convene  together 
in  them,  as  often  as  they  shall  judge  it  expedient  for  the  good 
of  the  church,  (Acts  xv. 
srfL  28  :   Eph.  Iv.  11, 12.) 


4,  t>,  22,  23,  25    John  xviii.  36;  1  Cor. 


WESTMINSTER  COXEES- 
)N   OF  EA1TH. 

IT  Ai.d  because  the  powers 
which  God  hath  ordained,  and 
the  liberty  which  Christ  hath 
purchased,  are  not  intended 
by  God  to  destroy,  but  mu- 
tually to  uphold  and  preserve 
one  another;  they  who,  upon 
pretence  of  Christian  liberty, 
shall  oppose  any  lawful  pow- 
er, or  the  lawful  exercise  of 
it,  whether  it  be  civil  or  eccle- 
siastical, resist  the  ordinance 
of  God.  And  for  the  publish-' 
in.,  of  such  oj anions,  or  main- 
taining of  such  practices,  as 
are  contrary  to  the  light  of 
nature,  or  to  the  known  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity,  whether 
concerning  faith,  worship,  or 
conversation ;  or  to  the  power 
of  godliness:  or  such  errone- 
ous opinions  or  practices,  as 
either  in  their  own  nature,  or 
in  the  manner  of  publishing 
or  maintaining  them,  are  de- 
structive to  the  external  peace 
and  order  which  Christ  hath 
established  in  the  church; 
they  may  lawfully  be  called 
to  account,  and  proceeded 
against  by  the  censures  of  the 
church,  and  by  the  power 
of  the  civil  magistrate. 

111.  The  civil  magistrate 
may  not  assume  to  himself 
the  administration  of  the 
word  and  sacraments,  or  the 
power  of  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven :  yet  he 
hath  authority  and  it  is  his 
duty,  to  take  order,  that  unity 
and  peace  be  preserved  in  the 
church,  that  the  truth  of  God 
be  kept  pure  and  entire,  that 
all  blasphemies  and  heresies 
be  suppressed,  all  corruptions 
and  abuses  in  worship  and 
dicipiine  prevented  or  re- 
formed, and  all  the  ordinances 
of  God  duly  settled,  adminis- 
tered, and  observed.  Eor  the 
better  effecting  whereof,  ho 
hath  power  to  call  synods, 
to  be  present  at  them,  and  to 
provide  that  whatsoever  is 
transacted  in  them  be  accord- 
ing to  the  mind  of  God. 

II.  As  magistrates  may  law- 
fully call  a  synod  of  ministers, 
and*  other  fit  persons,  to  con- 
sult and  advise  with  about 
matters  of  religion;  so  if  ma- 
gistrates be  open  enemies  to 
the  church,  the  ministers  of 
Christ,  of  themselves,  by  vir- 
tue of  their  office,  or  they, 
with  other  fit  persons  upon 
delegation" from  their  churcn- 
tay  meet  together  in  such 
assemblies. 


1!   I      1,  K  s 


FOR     T  11    1. 


T  R  A  N  S  A  C  T  I  0  N    0  F    BUSINESS 


IN     THE 


JUDICATORIES 


OF     THE 


UNITED    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH 


notice:. 


We  have  introduced  so  much  of  the  Discipline  here  as  we  thought 
necessary  for  present  use.  The  Rules  are  all  that  were  designed  by 
the  resolutions  found  in  the  first  part  of  this  pamphlet,  but  we 
thought  that  so  much  of  the  Discipline  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church  as  related  to  the  General  and  particular  Synods  should  be 
published,  that  those  who  had  not  that  book  of  Discipline  might 
thus  be  possessed  of  this  part.  In  all  other  matters  the  books  of 
the  Associate  and  Associate  Reformed  Churches  are  so  nearly  alike 
that  it  can  make  no  difference  which  is  used,  and  probably  it  is  best 
that  each  confine  himself,  for  the  present,  to  the  one  with  which  he  is 
most  familiarly  acquainted.  "  The  rules  for  the  transaction  of  busi- 
ness "  are  substantially  the  same  as  those  found  in  the  Discipline  of 
the  Associate  Church,  but  as  we  are  to  meet  together  in  the  same 
Synods  it  is  necessary  that  we  should  have  the  same  form.  Hence 
the  adoption  of  these  rules. 


cVf  .^nodical  ^  .■:..*  nn  Mies, 

r  II  |8  I     A  H  I     I  l  T  II  I  B     P  A  B  T  I  C  0  L  A  B     OB     (iKN'JR  A  L. 


BBCT.  I.     OF  THK  PARTICULAR  >. 

1.  This  Synod  ii  immediately  superior  to  the  Presbytery,  and 
f  several  Presbyteries  met  together  for  their  mutual  help 
and  comfort,  and   for  managing  the  affairs  of  the  churches  under 
their  inspection. 

The  Synod  hath  power  to  decide  on  references,  and  appeals, 
brought  regularly  before  them  from  Presbyteries — to  examine,  cen- 
re.  or  approve  their  records — to  try  all  causes  in  which  a  Fresby- 
:y  is  a  party:  if  found  guilty  of  flagrant  misdemeanors  in  their 
judicial  capacity,  to  censure  them  according-  to  the  nature  of  their 
offence — to  erect  new  Presbyteries — to  unite  or  divide  those  which 
are  already  erected — to  appoint  days  of  fasting  and  thanksgiving 
throughout  their  bounds — to  employ  members  of  Presbyteries,  or 
probationers  belonging  to  any  of  them,  in  public  service — to  give 
advice  to  Presbyteries — and,  generally,  to  make  such  regulation 
with  to  Presbyter       sessions,  and  people  under  their  car 

as  do  not  interfere  with  the  established  order  of  the  church. 

SKCT.    II.       O-F     THK  iIENKRAL  SYNOD. 

1.  When  the  multiplication  of  Presbyteries,  and  their  distauces 
from  each  other,  render  it  impracticable  or  unedifying  to  meet  all  in 
one  Synod,  it  is  proper  that  they  be  divided  into  two  or  more,  as 
their  circumstances  may  require. 

•J.  It  is  lawful  and  requisite,  for  the  maintenance  of  union,  and 
for  the  promotion  of  the  common  int.  that  all    the  particular 

nods   meet    together,  by  Presbyterial  delegation,  in  one  general 

nod. 

3.  Delegates  to  the  General  Synod  shall  be  apportioned  as  fol- 
lows :  Kvery  Presbytery  containing  not  more  than  two  ministers, 
shall  be  entitled  to  send  one  minister  and  one  elder;  and  for  every 
three  mini  above  that  number,  one  minister  and  one  elder  more. 

This  proportion  shall  be  preserved  till  the  number  of  delegate- 
ceed  thirty;  after  which  each    Presbytery  consisting  of  more  than 
ten  mil;  i,  shall,  for  every  four   additional   minist. -rs.  be  entitled 

sand  one  minister  and  one  elder. 

gates  to  the  General   Synod   must    produce   0OMM8 


52  BUSINESS    RULES. 


signed  by  the  moderator  and  clerk  of  the  Presbytery  by  whom  they 
are  sent;  nor  can  they,  without  such  commissions,  be  entitled  to  a 
seat. 

5.  Nine  delegates  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  business. 

6.  The  General  Synod,  thus  constituted,  is,  in  every  respect,  to 
the  particular  Synods,  what  the  latter  are  to  the  Presbyteries  within 
their  bounds.  It  is  also  the  province  of  the  General  Synod,  to  de- 
cide questions  respecting  doctrine  and  discipline — to  bear  testimony 
against  errors  and  immoralities — to  correspond  with  other  churches: 
and,  in  general,  to  preside  over  the  religious  interests  of  the  church 
at  large.  But  no  regulations  intended  to  be  universal  and  perma- 
nent shall  be  established,  without  previously  transmitting  them  to 
the  several  Presbyteries,  that  they  may  have  time  to  consider  and 
report  their  judgment  thereon. 

7.  The  particular  Synods  are  required  to  be  very  strict  in  calling 
the  several  Presbyteries  to  account,  with  respect  to  their  punctuality 
in  sending  delegates  to  the  general  Svnod,  and  censuring  snch  as 
are  found  negligent.  Presbyteries  are  to  observe  equal  strictness  in 
examining  their  delegates  with  respect  to  their  attendance,  and  in 
censuring  delinquents. 


BUSINESS    RULES. 


IX    THE     SYXOD. 

I.  If  the  Moderator  be  absent,  the  senior  Minister  shall  take  the 

chair. 

II.  On  the  day  after  the  choice  of  the  Moderator,  the  following 
•committees  shall  be  appointed,  viz: 

A  committee  of  Overtures; 
A  committee  of  Correspondence  ; 
A  committee  of  Accounts ;  and 
A  committee  of  Revision. 

III.  The  committee  of  Overtures  shall  be  charged  with  the  con- 
sideration of  all  such  proposals  for  public  acts,  or  other  measures 
of  general  interest,  as  shall  not,  by  a  special  order  of  the  court,  be 
otherwise  disposed  of. 

IT.  The  committee  of  Correspondence  shall  be  charged  with  the 
<3are  of  all  matters  relative  to  the  intercourse,  in  writing,  with  other 
churches. 


Bl 


V.  The  \  i  ill  m 

lvlat  inau-  h. 

VI,  r  nmiitee  of  1*  I  with  Mi- 

ni 
when  ti-  nt  o  the  pr<  lual  d 

\  1 1.   P  mnch  W  be 

sell        orami 

VIII.  Oommitt        shall  b  by  the  Moderator,  su 

their   D 
•  lleeti-  .    nominate 

man:  Mowing,  riz\         -       11    Mr.    A.  his 

mm  it1 

LX  :  — 

L  Jm  .  ill  shall    bi  "he 

M  their  ah  rs  Dot 

d. 
*Jd.    A  roll,   the   minutes   of  the  Last   meeting  or 

and  if  need  be,  corj     '  id. 
•.  [mmedia  £  of  the  miaul        he  clerk  shall 

present  to  th  or  an  eenu-  ■  i  list  of  all  businc 

•  unfinished  at  tfa 

nl  other 

uvt  thi  ill  be   the 

mi  .n  of  uiriug-  reference  from  otfa 

irts,  or  from  thejadica    >r  . 

\  eommii  and 

i  ■ 

.All  11   be         I    in  ti, 

in  which  t:  and,  -  and  minnh 

there         lall  l>  r. 

i     Paj        reterr  of  a  minute  <•!' 

nent  when  it   conl 

ball  1'  m- 

•   the  ;  '   named,  ill 

'man. 
Ail.  *  lomm  ill  m  i   luc  ment 

■u* 
report  wil  b  o  more  pi 

rh  a  bill  7;  which 

i  i  of  them 

a  motion  regularly  befo 


54  BUSINESS    RULES. 


XIII.  The  judicatory  cannot  act  but  in  virtue  of  a  motion  regu- 
larly in  its  possession. 

XIV.  No  motion  shall  be  in  possession  of  the  judicatory  for  dis- 
cussion, until  it  shall  have  been  announced  from  the  chair  by  the 
Moderator,  in  the  words  of  the  motion. 

XV.  No  motion  or  amendment  thereto,  excepting  for  adjourn- 
ment, reference  to  a  committee,  and  such  like  matters,  shall  be  re- 
ceived by  the  Moderator,  unless  reduced  to  writing  and  seconded. 

X  YI.  There  can  be  but  one  motion  in  the  possession  of  the  judi- 
catorv  at  the  same  time. 

■ 

XVII.  Motions  are  always  open  to  amendment,  even  to  the  com- 
plete alteration  of  the  proposition  moved. 

XVIII.  An  amendment  suspends  the  original  proposition,  and 
becomes  itself  the  motion  immediately  before  the  judicatory.  It  is 
suspended  in  its  turn,  by  any  amendment  to  itself,  so  that  the 
amendment  last  offered,  is  first  to  be  considered. 

XIX.  An  additional  amendment  to  an  original  proposition,  can 
not  be  received  until  the  previous  one  be  disposed  of. 

XX.  Amendments  must  be  introduced  in  the  same  manner  as 
original  motions. 

XXI.  The  name  of  the  person  who  moves  and  seconds  a  motion 
admitted  to  discussion,  shall  be  entered  on  the  minutes. 

XXII.  When  there  is  no  debate,  or  it  appears  to  be  concluded, 
the  Moderator  shall  rise,  and  having  distinctly  read  the  motion, 
shall  apprize  the  judicatory  that  he  is  about  to  take  their  sense,  in 
this  form  :  "  Are  you  ready  for  the  question  f"  No  objection  being 
offered,  nor  any  one  rising  to  speak,  he  shall  put  the  question  thus : 
" Shall  this  motion  (or  this  bill,  as  the  co.se  may  be,)  pass?"  And* 
pausing  for  a  moment,  shall  add  :  "  As  many  as  are  in  favor  thereof 
will  say  AY  !*'  And  then,  reversing  the  question  :  u  As  many  as 
are  of  a  contrary  opinion  will  say  No !" 

XXIII.  The  Moderator,  after  the  vote,  will  pronounce  the  motion 
to  be  carried  or  lost  accordingly. 

XXIV.  If  there  be  any  doubt  of  the  vote,  he  shall  desire  the 
Ayes  to  rise,  and  shall  count  them  ;  then  the  Noes  to  rise,  and  count 
them,  and  shall  pronounce  accordingly. 

XXV.  After  the  Moderator  shall  have  declared  the  vote,  or  the 
Clerk  shall  have  begun  to  call  the  roll,  upon  a  division,  no  further 
discussion  of  the  subject  thereof,  shall  be  permitted. 

XXVI.  Any  vote  may  be  reconsidered  upon  a  motion  therefor, 
proceeding  from  the  side  of  the  majority ;  but  not  at  the  same  sitting 


SlXKSS     ROLES. 


■  which  it  was  passed,  without  the  coDoanreoce  of  faro-thirds  pre 
it :  nor  shall  a  motiOD  to  r  er  anv  vote    I  eived,  unle 

thereof  l»e  given,  at  farthest,  on  the  uexl  day. 
\\\'ll.  In  ca        >f  great   important  difficulty,  it  ma) 

h.         proper,  before  the  members  hive  made  up  their  minds,  • 
ha        immitted  themselves  iu  their  3,  to  employ  one  of  the 

brethren  in  prayer  for  special  light  anddii        >n. 

XXVlll.  Brery  speaker,  unless  exempted  by  the  court  on   1 
octant  of  age  or  infirmity,  is  to  rise  and  address  himself  to  the  Mode 

rat  or. 

X  \  i.\ .  Members  are  to  observe  while  judicially 

'livened,  and  closely  tC  attend,  in  their  BD€  .  to  the  ct  in 

debate,  avoiding  prolix  and  desultory  harangues. 

\  x  x  .   Personal  reflections  are  by  no  means  to  be  tolerate 

XXXI.  Without  express  permission,  members  are  not  to  en 
in  private  conversation,  nor  are  they  to  address  one  another  or  any 
person  concerned,  but  through  the  Moderator. 

XXX  II.  If  two  or  more  member  about  the  same  time,  the 

Moderator  shall  decide  who  has  the  floor. 

XXX111.  No  speaker  is  to  be  interrupted,         pt  he  be  out 
order,  or  to  correct  mistakes  and  misrep        itations. 

XX  XIV.  A  member  called  to  order,  which  maybe  done  byain 

her  member,)  shall  immediately  sit  down  until  the  Mod 
cide  upon  the  point  of  order,  which  he  shall  do  without 

isons. 

XX  X  V.  An  appeal  from  the  chair  on  a  question  of  order  Bhall 

decided  without  debate. 

X  X  X  VI.   A  motion  for  adjournment  is  always  in  order. 

X  X  X  V 1 1 .  The  roll  shall  be  called  upon  the  demand  of  anymem- 

r,  and  the  Bomber  of  votes  on  both  sides  marked.     The  5Teas  and 
X  tys  shall  be  recorded  at  the  rc<j '  >f  one-fifth   present,  and  not 

otherwise. 

XXX  VIII.    No  member  shall   be  03  1   from    voting1  when  i 

name  is  called,  but  by  consent  of  the  court. 
XXXIX.  A  minute  maybe  expunged  with  the  unanimous  con- 
it  of  the  members  present. 
X  L.  A  rule  of  order  may  be  dispensed  with,  on  an  urgent  OCCa- 

sion,  by  unanimous  consent. 
X  LI .  A-  it  may  sometimes  answer  valuable  end-  for  the  members 
judicatories  to  confer  together,  on  certain  Bubje        in  a  manne 
ch  would  not  co         with  the  regularity  and  authority  of  a  • 


56  BUSINESS  RULES. 


stituted  court,  it  may  be  expedient  to  hold,  on  such  occasions,  tx- 
tra  judicial  conferences;  when  the  members,  laying  aside  their  judi- 
cial character,  converse  as  private  individuals. 

XLII.  No  member  shall  speak  more  than  once  upon  matters 
which  have  been  discussed  in  extra-judicial  conference,  nor  more 
than  twice  upon  any  other,  unless  for  explanation  or  rectifying  mis- 
takes, without  the  special  permission  of  the  judicatory,  and  then 
only  once. 

XLIII.  Judicatories  have  a  right,  when  they  think  it  proper,  to 
sit  in  private. 

XLIY.  Judicatories  shall  meet  upon  their  own  adjournment, 
unless  convened  upon  special  occasions  by  the  Moderator,  or  by  the 
order  of  a  higher  court. 

XLY.  No  business  regularly  before  the  court  at  a  stated  meeting, 
shall  be  transacted  at  a  meeting  pro  re  nata. 

XLYI.  No  member  is  to  leave  a  judicatory,  to  return  home,  or 
for  other  business,  without  its  consent. 

XLYII.  All  judicatories,  sessions  excepted,  are  to  close  their 
meetings,  after  prayer,  by  singing  the  133d,  or  some  other  Psalm, 
and  pronouncing  the  Apostolic  benediction. 

IX  PRESBYTERIES. 

XLYIII.  The  same  rules  of  order  shall  be  observed  in  the  Pres- 
byteries as  in  Synod,  ia  go  far  as  circumstances  shall  render  them 
suitable. 


